Chapter 15: Jaejeong’s Breakthrough Role

#15

“Your face and physique are really great for acting.”

“Thank you.”

Jaejeong bowed his head once more with stiff movements, as if he were a robot capable of nothing but expressions of gratitude.

“You’re in your seventh year. Why haven’t you acted before now? Did you have no interest in acting?”

“No, I did want to, but circumstances just never seemed to align for me.”

“Is that so?”

“I think I also lacked a bit of courage.”

Even without an opportunity provided by his company, he could have sought out auditions himself. To be honest, he simply lacked confidence. Despite his continuous efforts, he never truly believed he was good enough.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was always stuck in some ambiguous middle ground. The thought of venturing into acting when he hadn’t even fully mastered singing felt greedy, so he repeatedly let the idea remain just a thought, until, before he knew it, so much time had passed.

“You read the script we sent, right?”

“Yes.”

He had read it so many times that he could recite the lines perfectly, even if woken from sleep. The paper had torn, forcing him to print new copies multiple times. Though he had brought his tattered, well-worn script from his last practice, a pristine new one, prepared by the production company, lay on the conference table.

“This person will act opposite you. Just make sure to perform facing the camera.”

“Yes.”

“Read the script, and start whenever you feel ready.”

“Understood.”

After moistening his throat with the bottled water on the table, Jaejeong picked up the script. Reading it now felt pointless, as he had already memorized every line. The black letters on the white page seemed to dance before his eyes.

His fingertips, clenched in a tight grip, trembled uncontrollably. It felt as if he were experiencing the dizzying thrill and tension of his debut day all over again after many years. Jaejeong slowly composed himself, then finally lifted his head.

“I’ll begin.”

****

Dohoon gazed at the mountain of Face A albums piled high, then let out a deep sigh. After purchasing dozens of albums, he had finally collected all types of Jaejeong’s photo cards.

There were so many duplicates that he could probably create a small photo frame with them. He had gotten what he wanted, yet a strange sense of emptiness was the first emotion to surface.

“What am I going to do with all of these?”

The sheer volume and size of the albums made them a troublesome burden. He couldn’t openly keep them at home, which left him feeling quite vexed.

“This is all such a waste, a total waste. You’re crazy, Han Dohoon. With this money, I could buy, what, several months’ worth of food for our Taeshik? No, not just a few months.”

Dohoon muttered to himself for a long time, chastising his own actions, before meticulously stacking the albums into a large box. Despite his complaints, his hands handled each album with extreme care.

He even folded and inserted paper into any gaps, fearing that an album might get crumpled or damaged. The albums, tightly packed into two large boxes, were then moved to the hallway storage closet. Keeping them inside the house carried too much risk, leaving him with no other option.

Upon returning home after relocating the albums, Dohoon poured out the photo cards he had been storing in a small envelope. As he looked at the small photos covering the large table, a mix of slight hollowness and deep satisfaction washed over him.

He wondered if buying so many albums just to collect photos he would rarely take out and look at was a pointless endeavor after all. “They’re too good to waste. Should I make a frame out of them?”

Dohoon, contemplating seriously, picked up one of Jaejeong’s photo cards.

“He’s handsome.”

He had coincidentally heard the news that Jaejeong had auditioned for the role of Haesu. While he didn’t know the outcome yet, learning that there had been several more meetings with the production company afterward sparked an unconscious sense of anticipation in Dohoon.

‘Perhaps Jaejeong and I could meet in the same project.’ Dohoon imagined this alone, a smile unconsciously curving his lips.

It meant he could meet Jaejeong several times a week, at the very least. The thought of encountering his favorite celebrity up close and frequently was both thrilling and, admittedly, a little daunting. He found his own thoughts amusing, but he couldn’t help it.

‘What if he finds out I’m a fan?’

He worried that a man his age, sincerely supporting and liking a celebrity as a fan, might be seen as creepy. As his thoughts reached this point, Dohoon suddenly became dispirited. His face, having already decided Jaejeong’s audition success and letting his imagination run wild, changed expression with every passing moment.

‘What if I become friends with Jaejeong? He could even invite me to a Face A concert….’

Dohoon had occasionally seen actors invited to concerts of singers they were friends with, so he secretly harbored similar hopes. If that happened, he could openly attend a Face A concert without any issue. Thrilled by the mere thought, Dohoon punched an innocent cushion with his fist.

****

The meetings with the production company occurred three times. Throughout this period, Jaejeong read the same lines countless times in front of the camera and had to perform all of the improvised acting he had prepared just in case. Over the two weeks of auditions, Jaejeong suffered a mental burden he had never experienced before.

His manager had said that being called back so many times surely meant he would be cast, but Jaejeong simply couldn’t feel certain. On the day of the third meeting, Jaejeong saw his own performance on a recorded screen for the first time.

“We usually don’t show these to the person themselves,” a staff member from the production company said with a playful smile. On the screen, his own image, concentrating on his acting while trying to hide his nervousness, felt strangely unfamiliar.

It was a face he had seen countless times, a voice he had heard countless times, yet it felt as if he were watching a stranger. “Did you know the role of Haesu, which you auditioned for, was incredibly popular?”

“Ah… really?”

“Even agencies of actors whose names you’d recognize called to inquire if the role had been cast yet.”

Unable to understand why the staff member was saying such things, Jaejeong silently watched the screen. So, had the role of Haesu gone to one of those famous actors? Though his face revealed nothing, Jaejeong pressed his palm with his fingertips in anxiety, unaware that his skin was turning bright red.

“Unfortunately, we had to say that the role of Haesu was already decided. Oh, I don’t mean we were actually disappointed, of course.”

“…Pardon?”

“We’ll organize the detailed schedule for the ‘Yoonseul’ filming and send it to your agency. Oh, you’ll have to come back once more to sign the contract, though. Anyway, you’ve worked hard, Jaejeong.”

The staff member gathered the scattered papers on the table, organized them, and offered his hand with a bright smile. Jaejeong, who had been sitting in a daze, clasped his hand. Even as they shook hands, he couldn’t quite grasp the exact meaning of the staff member’s words.

“Ah, I forgot to say this.”

“……”

“Congratulations.”

‘Congratulations.’ The voice sounded distant, like a dream. Jaejeong slowly blinked, then belatedly bowed his head.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“No, you don’t need to thank me. Haha.”

“I will work diligently.”

The staff member smiled brightly at Jaejeong, who, still half-dazed, vowed to put in his best effort. As Jaejeong exited the conference room, he was met by his manager, who had already heard the news of his casting. He quietly approached and placed a hand gently on Jaejeong’s shoulder.

“You did well.”

“……”

“Let’s go home.”

Jaejeong silently followed his manager. As they walked through the quiet production company building, they passed numerous posters for famous dramas. Everything felt like a dream. The hallway, now familiar from so much walking, felt strangely new.

He finally registered his success only after getting into the company car, a vehicle as familiar as his own home. Jaejeong, belatedly letting out the breath he had been holding, roughly ran a large hand over his face.

‘It’s done.’

It was truly done. The success he hadn’t dared to even imagine since first receiving the audition offer, fearing it might jinx it, was now firmly in his grasp. He was overjoyed. He felt so happy he wanted to jump around in the car, yet simultaneously, a profound fear and burden consumed his heart.

‘Can I do well? Can I really… really do this?’

To make this opportunity a valid first step, he absolutely had to succeed. Perhaps knowing this made it difficult for confidence to readily take hold.

“Jaejeong, aren’t you happy?”

“…I am happy.”

“Then smile a little, man.”

Noticing Jaejeong’s stiff expression even after getting into the car, his manager spoke up. Jaejeong nodded silently, still looking bewildered as he stroked his chin. Yes, this was no time for mere celebration.

As soon as his casting was confirmed and the contract signed, news articles about Jaejeong joining the drama flooded out.

[Exclusive: Face A Member Jaejeong Makes Drama Debut in ‘Yoonseul’ as Dohoon’s Bodyguard]

[Birth of a New Acting Idol: Face A’s Jaejeong Cast as Haesu in ‘Yoonseul’]

Of course, no one was happier about Jaejeong’s drama news than his fans. Having eagerly awaited his solo activities, they couldn’t help but be thrilled by the news of him joining such a large-scale project.

[Choi Insam @**

(Link)

Jaejeong, oh Jaejeongㅠㅠㅠㅠ Our Jaejeong is actingㅠㅠ]

[Great Actor Choi Jaejeong Fan Bbaksae @djWjfkrhdy

Why? Do I look like a fan of a member who’s having their first solo activity in 7 years?]

[F.A.P. @**

‘According to an insider, Jaejeong was selected for the role through an audition.’

He auditioned and passedㅜㅜ]

└[Donggeu: @** Jaejeong’s worries are pointless. My darling does well on their own.]