I Will Live As An Actor

y productions that it was impossible to know every film and drama he appeared in from his early supporting roles.
Yet, he was the actor the boy admired the most in his past life.
A well-known actor who consistently held a position among the top five actors in Korea.
Buddhism said there were no coincidences in meetings.

“Really?”

In contrast, Song Jeongseok felt bewildered.
After all, he was still an unknown actor, even in the theater world.
Moreover, Days of Theatrical Joy was performed in Seoul’s theater district.
And lastly, Dojeong was a character that hardly appeared in the play.

“I’m serious.”

However, the boy’s eyes were not lying.
On the contrary, they were burning with passion, as if he had met someone he greatly admired.

“Thank you, thank you so much.
I never imagined I’d meet my first fan so far away.
Actually, I was cast in a minor role in a drama set in Busan.
That’s why I came down here, wanting to learn the dialect.
But on the first day, I was pickpocketed.
I don’t even have a proper place to sleep, and my ticket back to Seoul was stolen.
I’m such a fool, right?”

“Pickpocket? What about the police station?”

“They said they couldn’t find the culprit.
Sigh.”

A look of injustice was apparent around Song Jeongseok’s eyes.
It felt like he was Robinson Crusoe, alone on a deserted island without any acquaintances.
He didn’t even have an agency, and the notebook containing the casting director’s number who had cast him was stolen.

The boy quickly understood his situation.
Nowadays, pickpocketing is rampant, especially during the peak season, and there were no proper CCTV installations in that era.
Song Jeongseok’s appearance and attire made him look homeless, and people might have assumed he was lying.

“You said you came here to learn the dialect, right?”

“Yes?”

“Then let’s learn it today.
Follow me.”

The boy showed unexpected kindness to Song Jeongseok.
In his past life, Song Jeongseok was the only one who advised and taught him acting when he jumped from theater to dramas and films.
The senior actor who had treated him to a warm bowl of rice soup and a glass of soju – he still couldn’t forget that favor.

– “Yeongguk, are you suspicious about why I’m helping you?”

The elderly actor’s eyes reddened as the soju glass clinked down.

– “I also jumped from theater to drama when I was your age.
At that time, there was no one to help me.
It was so hard and lonely.
So, don’t just pass them by when you meet someone like you later.
Help them out.
A glass of soju, it’s no big deal.”

At those words, the young actor’s eyes also reddened.

The elderly actor, who saw his past self in the thirty-year-old boy, marveled at the strange workings of fate.
The connection the adult boy had made now reached the young boy.
It was time to repay the debt he owed.
Pursuing a life without regrets was a relationship that had to be crossed, just like a fisherman catching a big fish by destiny.

“Yeongguk, who is this person?”

Startled, she looked back and forth between her son and Song Jeongseok.
The boy had hooked the noble man he had met in his previous life.

“He’s helping us out today.”

* * *

“Oh my, this is exhausting.”

Song Jeongseok felt as if he had been beaten all over.
Selling fish at Namhang Market was not an easy job.
But what he gained was certain: the native pronunciation of the dialect, the unique intonation, and the accent of the Busan people.
Although they spoke the same language, their breathing, rhythm, and the way their lips and tongue moved were different.

“This is truly amazing.”

Song Jeongseok looked at the boy who had put him to work today.
At first, he thought the boy was just peculiar.
But in Namhang Market, the boy was a bold leader, and if it were a play, he would have been a brilliant actor capable of dominating the entire proscenium stage.

Whenever the boy acted and moved his lips, all the people at Namhang Market became tourists and focused on him.
Despite the pressure, the boy’s shoulders were as light as feathers, and his gestures were lively.
Perhaps the innate talent of an actor lies in the ability to draw such attention, just like the boy.

“There isn’t much prepared for our guest.”

“No, this is a feast.”

Song Jeongseok brushed off the mother’s apology.
The dinner table had enough food for the two of them.
If anything, he felt sorry for intruding.
The yellowed wallpaper, aged like autumn leaves, and mold spots around the room pained his heart.
But on the boy’s face, there was no shame or sadness, as if he had read Song Jeongseok’s thoughts.
Only pure happiness filled his expression.

“Is it okay for you to sleep in the kitchen tonight? I’ll prepare the softest bedding.
It’s the first train in the morning, but you should still rest a bit.”

“As long as I have a place to lay down, I’m grateful.
But Youngkook, we have quite an age gap, so shouldn’t you call me uncle instead of hyung?”

“Hyung, have you ever seen me call an elderly woman at the market ‘auntie’?”

“Fine, Yeongguk, I admit your determination.
But I’m not sure if it’s okay for me to stay here with your mom around.
I feel so sorry for both of you, and I don’t know how to repay this debt when I return to Seoul.
I feel like I owe you so much.”

“What’s the big deal about debt? Just help someone like you later on.
A warm bed and a bowl of rice, it’s nothing.”

It was impossible to argue with the boy.
Yet, he wasn’t annoying.
How could he not know that he was trying to make Song Jeongseok feel at ease, worried that he might feel burdened? Song Jeongseok swallowed the tears that welled in his eyes and shoved a mouthful of white rice into his mouth.
The young actor had a hunch.
The delicious feast would become the foundation for his future acting career.