After Story 227

Me? Maru responded.

You are playing a lead character in your mid-twenties already. Im envious. Youre both skilled and good-natured. I cant find a flaw in you.

I was just lucky.

And youre humble too. How can luck be responsible for everything? Its all talent. An actor without skill like me wont be able to do what you did even if I am given the opportunity.

That, you never know.

Gyungho took a sip of rice wine before speaking,

I dont even want that big of a role. I wish I could play a small character that just has a name. Ill start from an insignificant role and become bigger over time. Isnt that what acting is about?

Maru did not speak and kept smiling.

But I cant seem to find an opportunity like that. I dont have enough connections so Im kinda sad.

Having come this far, he could take out his actual agenda naturally like he was just joking. Gyungho looked at Maru.

Mr. Han. Dont you have a director that you know? Please introduce me to one.

It was just words he threw out there, but Maru shouldnt be able to refuse easily. Maru was still smiling. Regardless of how he felt on the inside, he should look kind on the outside, and he probably didnt want to let down those expectations.

After a while, Maru spoke,

Introduce you? Well, sure. Youre a good actor, so theres no reason for me not to.

Gyungho smiled pleasantly. That was exactly the kind of answer he was expecting. The members of his team started showing interest as well. Antic.i.p.ation colored their faces.

Delivery.

Gyungho quickly stood up to get to the door. When they were halfway through the food that they ordered at the beginning, he called another restaurant to order. He put down the gamja-tang inside a big plastic container on the floor.

That came at just the right time. Well then, lets continue drinking.

This will be my last cup. Maru raised the paper cup that was about half full of rice wine.

I want to offer you some more, but Im sure youll have a hard shoot tomorrow, so I guess we should drink by ourselves.

Drink to your hearts content.

Gyungho used a spoon to drink the soup of the gamja-tang and looked at Maru. He had brought up the topic of asking to be introduced to a director, but he had yet to get his answer. If they separated without a clear answer like this, it would be awkward to bring it up again.

Ill make a call for a bit.

Okay, go ahead.

Maru left. Gyungho spoke after checking that the door was fully shut,

See that? I told you.

Would he really set you up?

Theres all the things he said, so he should try to keep those up. Even if he doesnt, he should feel sorry for me, so I just have to try again later.

He gulped down the cool rice wine. The sweetness was just right. The taste was great and his work was going well too.

Ill try urging him. Ill ask him to set us all up instead of just me. So dont ask him to introduce you to someone before I do that. If the atmosphere turns strange, he might just leave us.

Well just follow along, so make sure you do it well. Also, from looking at him, I feel like hes an innocent man wholl listen to everything.

Right. Did you see that? He enjoys being a good person. If we humble ourselves and ask for a favor, hell listen to it. Hes a good person, isnt he?

Gyungho looked at the team member that was eating quietly this whole time. He was the one who had been against it since yesterday.

Everyone was getting on the bandwagon, while he was the only one acting proud. In some ways, it felt pitiful.

People get tired if they try to stay away from others the whole time.

He spoke quite loudly, but that person didnt show much of a reaction.

What an inflexible person. It wasnt that he disliked people with a firm faith, but it was quite frustrating that he couldnt read the mood.

Gyungho was trying to spoon-feed him, but he wouldnt open his mouth. What could he do about that?

The rain has subsided a lot now. I dont think there will be a problem with the shoot tomorrow, Maru said as he came into the room. The rain hitting the window had died down a little.

Your cups are empty, huh? Ill pour a cup for everyone one last time.

Thats great. When else would I have a lead actor pour rice wine for me? Gyungho said as he picked up his paper cup.

Maru picked up the bottle of rice wine and poured everyone a cup each.

Ill pour my own. Please give me the bottle.

Maru raised the tilted bottle. The person that held his hand out instead of his cup was the one who stayed aloof from the conversation until now.

Gyungho clicked his tongue. That man didnt change until the end.

But Id like to pour you a cup.

Its okay.

Dont say that and let me.

He thought Maru would smile and hand the bottle over, but Maru stood right in front of that team member.

After twitching his eyes, that person eventually raised his paper cup.

You look like the youngest in team 1, Maru said after pouring some rice wine.

Gyungho replied instead of the team member who stayed quiet,

He looks young, but hes actually the same age as me. Hes twenty-seven, so that would make him two years older than you.

Really? Thats peculiar.

Theres nothing peculiar about it. He can be a frustrating fellow at times, but hes a good person. I do wish he would get closer to us sometimes, but he doesnt seem to want that, so I cant help it.

Maru looked at Gyungho and that team member alternately.

You all belong to the same team, so why do you act distant?

Despite being questioned, that team member kept drinking as though it was none of his business. Gyungho quickly stepped in.

Mr. Han. Thats just how that fellow is. He doesnt have any malicious intentions so dont think of him too badly. You just have to let him do his own thing.

Maru went back to his position with a smile as though he understood. For a while, they praised Marus acting skills and his discerning eyes for good work. Flattery was given to the person who was hungry for it.

Now that the car had been fueled again, he needed to start it.

Erm, Mr. Han.

Yes?

Im quite shy, so Ill ask again, but you didnt forget to introduce me to a director, did you?

He mentioned the topic at the height of laughter.

Of course I remember. I was calling a director because of that too. Since were at it, should I call him now?

Gyungho gulped dryly and watched Marus fingers. His thumb tapped on the screen a few times.

Youre on speaker mode. Introduce yourself to everyone, Maru said as he put down the phone.

-h.e.l.lo. Im honored to introduce myself like this.

The voice sounded quite young. From the way Maru talked to him, this director seemed to be in his early twenties. Among the directors Gyungho knew, there was no one so young. He put aside his questions and introduced himself for now,

h.e.l.lo, director. I begged Mr. Han to introduce me to you.

-Oh, really? Im no one that great.

Yes you are, youre a film director. Im not that good at acting, but I can tell you that Im hardworking. Of course, I guess skill matters more than effort.

-No. I place a lot of importance on effort. I also lack skill, so I have nothing but my pa.s.sion to put forward.

The director paused for a moment before continuing.

-I heard from Maru-hyung that you wish to partic.i.p.ate in my work.

Yes, of course. Im totally free once Im done with this movie. If you call me, I can run all the way to the end of the country.

-The plan is to shoot near Seoul, so you dont have to go that far. But are you really okay with it?

With what?

-Working with me. Id be honored if you do. It means I can work with people who have appeared in commercial movies.

Gyungho rolled his eyes. The conversation was heading in a strange direction.

Dont mention it. But director, what are you working on? If you cant tell me the details, then just tell me what production company youre working with.

-Theres nothing grand like that. Im just a student so where would I get support from?

What? A student?

It wasnt that he had heard wrong. Gyungho looked at Maru, who was still smiling brightly.

He got himself together and waited for an answer from the director.

-Yes. Im still in college.

Are you shooting your graduation piece then?

-No, Im not a theater major, so I dont shoot things like that. When I graduate, Ill help out with a few of the experiments in my department and take a graduation test.

Youre not a theater major?

-Thats right.

The back of his head felt numb. He wanted to complain to Maru and ask if he was just teasing. This director wasnt even a famous indie director and was just a student. There was nothing to gain from partic.i.p.ating in his work.

-Also, Im worried about your payment if we get to work together. Im looking into loans right now, but I didnt know that bank loans were so tricky. I also applied for support programs for independent movie productions that the city arranges, but I dont think the possibility of getting those is high either.

...That sounds tough, he barely managed to speak.

Loan? Support program? This wasnt even funny. If he uploaded his profile to film production internet cafs, hed get tons of calls. Directors on this level were a dime a dozen.

He didnt ask Maru for a favor just to get to call with a student director like this. He couldnt tell whether Maru couldnt read the mood or whether he was just acting gullible until now.

Without being able to reveal what he was thinking, Gyungho groaned. The young director started talking about the thing he was working on. In truth, he had long since lost interest, so he couldnt hear any of it.

He just pretended to listen while drinking rice wine. The other members of the team looked bitter just like him.

Gyungho reevaluated Maru in his head. He thought Maru was just an innocent lamb, but he was a devious snake. Even though he must have realized that the atmosphere of the room had turned frosty, he did not say anything.

-And like that, I plan to depict the feelings of a man chased out from the neighborhood.

Thats a great story.

-Thank you.

But Im sorry to tell you this, but I dont think its right for me. I really dont have any confidence in that kind of acting. Its such a pity.

The student director paused for a moment before laughing.

-Then lets work together if theres an opportunity next time.

Of course. Ill be your fan starting today, director.

Maru, who had been listening quietly, spoke,

Mr. Gyungho here says he cant do it. What about the others?

The members of the team who made eye contact with Maru all smiled awkwardly. That rea.s.sured Gyungho. Maru wasnt just kind. The fact that he was introducing a student director was basically his way of s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g with them.

There were numerous directors working on their graduation pieces, and there was no actor here who would want to dedicate their time to a student who was shooting a film as a hobby.

Gyungho was angry and bitter, but he did not show it on the surface. He had to end things on a good note to try again next time.

If youre a student and looking into loans, then the payment will be almost none, right?

The team member who had been staying quiet this whole time spoke. He was on his own island until now, so Gyungho was curious about why that guy suddenly showed interest.

-Yes. Ill do my best to give you proper payment, but itll probably be hard.

Can you handle transportation and food costs at least?

-Of course I can.

Then can I contact you separately? I like the content.

-Yes! But youre a different person from the person before, right?

Yes. My name is Ahn Bangjoo, and Im twenty-three this year. Im probably around the same age as you, director. Though, I may be wrong.

Gyungho indifferently listened to that person speak before his eyes widened.

Twenty-three? he looked at that person with a frown.

Then Mr. Bangjoo here will talk to you later. Director, see you later. Maru hung up.

Gyungho immediately talked to that team member, Ahn Bangjoo.

Twenty-three?

Yeah.

Then why are you so rude? You kept using informal speech.

Thats because you talked to me with informal speech from the get-go.

Youre crazy.

If you treated me with respect, I wouldve done so too. But why would I use formal speech to someone who ordered me around from our first meeting?

Then you shouldve asked my age.

Its you who misunderstood me for being twenty-seven, so its your mistake.

Wow, were you living in America? This is the first time Ive seen someone like this.

I saw plenty of people like you in my lifetime, so Im used to it.

You crazy punk.

When he tried to stand up, the other members of the team grabbed him. In truth, Gyungho had no intentions of fighting either. From what he heard, Ahn Bangjoo had been doing a lot of sports since he was young. Even his arm was quite thick compared to his physique. He didnt want to get into an unsightly fight either.

In many ways, he felt terrible. The sweet rice wine tasted bitter as well. Now that the fun was lost, it was time to wrap up. Maru also stood up, looking like he had no more intentions to stay.

Please call me again next time. Ill be the one buying at that time.

Yes, okay.

After smiling, Maru looked at Ahn Bangjoo.

And Mr. Bangjoo. I look forward to working with you in our next work.

While throwing away the trash, Gyungho turned around to look at Maru. What did that mean? Next work?

I decided to work with that director I just called. Hes really skilled. Apparently, no one has gotten the grand prize from the Short Film Festival after he did. Im sure he mustve improved since then, whether its the story or the production skills, so I have high hopes.

Youre in it? In that directors drama? You were cast? Gyungho asked in a hurry.

The other members of the team looked at him in surprise.

I asked him to. There are many people taking interest as well. Anyway, Mr. Bangjoo. Its been a long time, but please take care of me. Oh, I misspoke when I said its been a long time.

Maru waved his hand before leaving the room.

Gyungho looked at Bangjoo who quietly cleaned up. The opportunity he wanted so much was flying away right in front of his eyes.