Rookie but One-in-a-Million Actor

Chapter 2

**Flower Powder**

It had been fifteen days since my stepfather died.

The police ruled the cause of death as hypothermia.

He fell while chasing his stepson while drunk, passed out, and died. His severely bruised nose was considered a result of falling forward.

“Ha Mooyoung.”

My homeroom teacher called me while clicking his pen.

“Are you listening to me?”

“Yes, of course.”

“What about your living situation?”

“There’s not much time until graduation, so I’ve decided to stay home for now. The landlady is understanding.”

After sorting everything out, I had exactly 570,000 won left. There was supposed to be a bank account my mom set up in my name, but it seemed that man had completely drained it.

“Have you decided what you’ll do next?”

“I’m planning to decide after the acceptance announcements.”

I had secretly submitted applications.

I hated home, so I was the first to arrive at school and the last to leave, leaving nothing else to do but study.

“Mooyoung. Don’t take this the wrong way.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

“You know that Seoyeon University has the highest tuition fees in Korea, right? These days, student loans are more accessible, and there are many scholarships, but still.”

Thanks to this, I could apply to prestigious private universities like Seoyeon University.

Of course, I still didn’t know if I would be accepted.

“If you don’t get scholarships, it would cost you 7 to 8 million won per semester, wouldn’t that be a burden? Even other universities typically cost 3 to 4 million won. And that’s not all. There’s rent, food, living expenses….”

I understood what my teacher was getting at.

He held a pamphlet for a vocational school.

“These days, even graduates from prestigious universities are unemployed. You applied based on your grades. If you have no particular aim, learning a skill and securing a job first might be wiser.”

It was practical advice.

Majors like Tourism Promotion, Global Culture Studies, and Chinese Literature.

They were all over the place. I just wanted to escape.

“Thank you for your advice, teacher.”

But not anymore.

The devil was dead, and the path was set.

Instead of my messed-up life, I would live someone else’s life and find happiness.

“But there’s something I want to do.”

“Really? What is it?”

“I want to act.”

The unexpected answer made my teacher hesitate.

Was it such a surprising answer? Even the other teachers nearby turned to look.

“Acting?”

“Yes. That’s why I want to go to college even more.”

I heard that tutoring by prestigious university students pays well. Even if I had to take a leave of absence immediately after enrolling, that would be better. If I failed, I would find another way.

Anything was fine. I was free now.

“…Have you ever acted before?”

“No.”

The teacher’s mouth twitched. He looked at me like I was a naive kid. Then the other teachers joined in.

“For Mooyoung, it might be worth a try. He’s handsome, tall, and kind enough for fan service.”

“Is he an idol? He’s saying he wants to be an actor.”

“Oh dear. Talent is everything in the arts.”

“Even the best can’t make it. Tsk tsk.”

“Mooyoung. Since when did you want to act?”

“Think carefully, kid! Don’t chase after empty dreams!”

Everyone pretended not to be interested but was clearly listening.

It got noisy quickly with everyone chiming in. The teacher rubbed his temples and searched his suit pocket.

“Alright. Well, it’s good to have a goal. This is something the teachers chipped in for. Use it for your expenses.”

A fairly thick envelope.

Despite being a high school, the guilt of not noticing their student’s circumstances was palpable.

“Thank you.”

“You can go.”

It was clear he had no more to say. As I left the teacher’s office, I heard his faint voice amidst the noise.

“Not a kid’s game, acting without any experience….”

* * *

“Are you out of your mind?”

In the quiet classroom.

Mooyoung was reading books he’d borrowed from the library. It would have been perfect if it weren’t for Junho, who was annoying him from the seat in front.

“Aren’t you going to play soccer?”

“It’s too cold.”

With the college entrance exam over and no classes, students would rush to the field as soon as they arrived at school.

However, with rumors spreading about his stepfather’s death and family situation, Mooyoung mostly spent time alone.

“Did you tell the teacher you wanted to act?”

“How did you know?”

“The whole teacher’s office was talking about you. How far can Ha Mooyoung go with his good looks? Is he crazy or just delusional? Everything except the English was negative.”

Mooyoung looked up from his book at Junho.

Despite his demeanor, he was a close friend.

The only one who treated him the same as before after the incident.

“Why did you say that?”

“The teacher asked what I wanted to do.”

“If I said that, he would’ve hit me with the attendance book. Why acting all of a sudden? Well, you’re good at lying, so maybe you’ll be good at it.”

“Lying? Me?”

“You hid what your stepfather did pretty well.”

His harsh words might have made others flinch, but Mooyoung didn’t mind. It was easier to deal with. Junho clicked his tongue, seeing the scar on Mooyoung’s lip.

“Use some good ointment. It’s been fifteen days, and it’s still there.”

“It’s fine. It’s healing.”

“You’re going to be an actor?”

He only had a rough idea.

That Mooyoung’s home life was different from others.

But not to this extent. Junho felt a pang of guilt as he fished around in his pocket.

“Here. This is the most expensive ointment from the pharmacy.”

“Rich kid is different.”

“It’s just 10,000 won.”

Junho was the son of a building owner.

Nothing fancy, just a five-story commercial building downtown.

“So what are you really going to do?”

“Nothing special. Part-time jobs, college.”

“What if you don’t get in?”

“I’m thinking about joining a theater troupe.”

“What? You weren’t lying about wanting to act?”

Junho asked in surprise.

“What are you saying? We’ve talked about this already.”

“Seriously? It wasn’t just to spite the teachers?”

“Why would I do that? Is that something you’d do?”

“No, are you crazy? Why all of a sudden?”

The response was surprisingly tepid.

Mooyoung waved his hand with a smile. Sorry, but even to Junho, he didn’t want to reveal the presence of his unique energy.

“I don’t know. I just suddenly wanted to.”

In Mooyoung’s hand was a collection of Korean films. Junho, standing idly by, snatched it from him.

“Let’s see it.”

“What?”

“Your acting. As your friend, I can’t understand why someone who never even mentioned acting suddenly wants to do it. If there’s no potential, I’ll personally stop you.”

Potential? Who knows.

Whether it exists or not didn’t matter much.

It was something he had to do to survive, especially to live differently from before.

“Give it to me.”

But taking the first step in front of a friend didn’t seem like a bad idea. Consider it a preventive measure before harsh reality.

“You know this one?”

****

A 2001 film where the renowned actor Park Moon appeared without a fee, causing a sensation.

The setting is a future where seasons disappear due to global warming, and a gardener who used to feel the seasons through blooming flowers suddenly realizes that spring has vanished.

It was praised for its low-budget yet brilliant depiction of environmental destruction and the preciousness of everyday life.

“I’ve only seen the poster.”

Being quite an old film, many people had only heard of its reputation.

But Mooyoung liked this piece.

It was renowned for its lush cinematography.

**[#107. Garden (Afternoon with Sunset)]**

Jun-sik stands barefoot, staring at the withered flowers for a long time. Ja-young approaches and embraces him.

**[Jun-sik: (in a trembling voice) It was only a day.]**

**[Ja-young: (burying her face in his back) Yes.]**

**[Jun-sik: This year, spring lasted only a day. It might be the last one. If I had known, I would have watched it longer. (silence) I won’t be able to make flowers bloom anymore.]**

Mooyoung closed his eyes.

He imagined himself standing in that garden he had seen on screen. His hands, feet, and the scenery.

Everything unfolded in a first-person perspective.

“It was only a day.”

Streets that turned pink in spring. The gently blowing sweet breeze. Mooyoung warmed up his emotions by recalling the spring he had experienced.

“This year, spring lasted only a day. It might be the last one. If I had known, I would have watched it longer.”

Spring disappears.

What would the gardener, watching the ever-shortening blooming season, feel? How was the life of a gardener who devoted his life to plants and trees?

“I won’t be able to make flowers bloom anymore.”

Regret. Reproach. Bitterness. Guilt.

As complex emotions surged, Mooyoung unconsciously raised his palm and took a deep breath.

As if savoring the last trace of spring.

It was an action not described in the script.

“Ha….”

But it was something the gardener would have surely done.

His nose tingled, and he felt tears welling up. Mooyoung paused in surprise at himself.

“What the… this….”

What was this?

This emotional line. And this immersion.

He even felt a sense of indescribable satisfaction.

‘And it’s fun.’

Maybe it was a delusion, but it felt quite natural for the first time. Did he perhaps have talent? It was better to have it than not.

With eyes shining with expectation, Mooyoung looked at Junho.

“How was it?”

But Junho’s expression was inscrutable.

“You, you….”

Ding-dong-dang-dong-

As he hesitated, the lunch bell rang.

For third-year high school students, it signaled the end of the school day.

“You, what?”

“…You memorized the lines really well.”

“Not that, just tell me the general impression.”

“…I don’t think it’s worth packing lunch to stop you.”

Junho cautiously gave his evaluation.

He had expected it to be awkward and cringeworthy for a first attempt, ready to curse immediately after. But honestly, it wasn’t bad. In fact, the scene from a movie he hadn’t seen before came to mind.

“Just okay.”

But Junho held back, fearing his friend might get arrogant.

“It’s not bad. Instead of joining a theater troupe if you don’t get into college, go to an academy. Acting is a skill and training after all.”

And he quickly changed the subject. Mooyoung just smiled faintly and packed his bag.

“An academy? I don’t even have money to heat the boiler.”

“Really? Then live at my place.”

“Yeah, right. Let’s just get lunch.”

“Am I buying?”

“Why ask the obvious?”

He had read somewhere that living beings often possess outstanding survival skills.

Life doesn’t abandon you, Mooyoung thought cheerfully as he left the classroom.

“What are we eating?”

“Something expensive!”

Perhaps it was because of this.

Mooyoung didn’t notice.

The black smog rising from the ground vanished completely, and the scattered amazement of his classmates.

** * * **

“Only tteokbokki?”

“Shut up. We’re getting fish cakes and sundae too.”

Mooyoung chose street food. A quiet street. Despite the cold weather, he liked the cozy feel of the food cart.

As he was filling his hungry stomach thanks to Junho’s treat.

“Huh?”

Something fluttered outside.

It looked like snow but was more radiant and sparkling.

It was the flower pollen he had seen around his stepfather’s corpse fifteen days ago. Mooyoung peeked outside the tent.

“What’s up?”

“Nothing. Just some flower pollen….”

“Flower pollen? In the middle of winter?”

The building next to the food cart was the source. Mooyoung read the worn-out sign on the third floor.

“BV Acting Academy?”

“An academy? I thought you said you wouldn’t attend one?”

Despite Junho’s question, Mooyoung silently chewed his tteokbokki. The glittering phenomenon was incomparable to what he had seen near his stepfather’s corpse. It felt like it was calling him.

As if there was an opportunity here.