Top Star by Luck

Chapter 22

Scholarship.

Lee Min Ki couldn’t believe his ears when Director Park casually mentioned the word.

‘Does this make sense? All of a sudden?’

He had thought he would never be in a position to receive one.

Even now, as those words came directly from Director Park, he doubted if it had been a mistake.

No, he was doubtful because scholarships weren’t just one or two types.

However, Director Park made it clear.

“From now until your debut, we will fully waive your tuition fees.”

“……”

“In addition, we will refund 50% of the tuition fees you’ve paid so far.”

For a moment, he couldn’t breathe.

It felt as if a sudden rush hit his head, like a deer darting out in front of him while he was on guard duty, making his vision spin.

‘A 50% refund means I’d be getting over 5 million won back.’

Lee Min Ki hadn’t attended this academy for just a day or two.

He had been attending ever since he completed his military service, which had already been well over a year.

And now, they were offering to give that money back.

Saying it wouldn’t make his mouth water would be a lie.

He had been cutting down on sleep every day, working part-time at a convenience store and doing modeling gigs to cover living expenses and the high tuition fees.

But the misfortunes of his past triggered a red alert in his head.

‘There’s always a reason when someone is being overly nice.’

Director Park wasn’t making this offer purely out of goodwill.

There had to be conditions attached.

Something like having recently done well in an audition, or something similar.

“Is there a condition?”

At Min Ki’s question, Director Park’s expression slightly darkened.

“I’m not asking for much. Just that you allow us to use your name in future promotions for the academy. It would also be great if you could write a short review of your time here.”

Of course.

He knew it.

Min Ki sighed softly to himself.

‘It’s not impossible to do.’

Even though he didn’t have the best feelings toward Director Park, there was no real reason to reject an offer of several hundred thousand won.

Even if he was lucky enough to debut right away, that wouldn’t solve his immediate financial problems.

The scholarship would definitely be a huge help until then.

He knew that.

He understood it well.

But he couldn’t shake the bitter taste rising in his throat.

‘Why don’t I feel happy even though I’ve been recognized?’

He knew the reason without having to ask.

It was because Director Park’s attitude had changed too abruptly.

Accepting this was the right thing to do.

But his pride made Min Ki hesitate.

Just as a few seconds of silence passed, Director Park spoke again.

“To be honest, I don’t think you’ll see my offer in a favorable light.”

Min Ki responded with a confused look.

“……What?”

Director Park nodded as if he had expected that reaction.

“I probably come across as quite opportunistic, don’t I? I haven’t even had a proper conversation with you before, yet here I am suddenly offering you this out of nowhere. People are supposed to be consistent, after all.”

His tone was self-deprecating.

Min Ki blinked, unable to come up with a fitting response, as Director Park continued speaking.

“I’ve heard a lot from Instructor Kim Ah Sung. And I’ve also been secretly watching your practice sessions. Compared to before, there’s been a significant improvement. It’s because you’ve been showing up early every day, sweating and working hard.”

“……”

“Seeing that, my thoughts started to change.”

He was sincere about this.

Director Park had indeed looked down on Min Ki before.

Not just for emotional reasons, but because there were rational grounds for it.

He had seen too many people fail to succeed even after attending the academy.

Fewer than one in a hundred students remained in the industry, even as supporting actors.

Moreover, Min Ki wasn’t just someone who had failed regular agency auditions; he had also been rejected from every in-house audition for roles.

Paying equal attention to a student who was so behind would never end.

Only a select few would succeed.

As long as he focused on those few, he felt he had done his duty.

[This isn’t giving up. It’s about making choices and focusing.]

That’s what Director Park had always thought.

It had to be rational.

And then, Min Ki had changed that.

“As an educator, I realized I needed to reflect when I saw you.”

Min Ki had reminded him that if someone put in consistent effort over time, they could change.

Being rational was good.

Helping those with potential succeed was important.

But the true essence of education lay in helping those who couldn’t succeed on their own reach success.

“The scholarship is a small gift for students like you. Think of it that way. The whole thing about using your name for promotions? That’s just something I said. You don’t really have to do it.”

There was a brief moment of silence.

At this point, even Min Ki’s resolve wavered a bit.

‘Maybe it wasn’t just a random offer after all.’

It seemed that there was at least a small part of Director Park’s proposal that wasn’t entirely self-serving.

Min Ki still couldn’t fully trust his kindness.

He had learned over his life that it was as rare as lightning on a clear day for someone to truly change their mind.

But…

“Where do I write the review?”

He trusted Director Park just enough to reluctantly accept the scholarship.

***

The next day.

Min Ki officially received an acceptance notice from JC.

[Instructor Ah Sung: Min Ki, you’ll get an official acceptance call from our company later, so make sure to answer it.]

[Instructor Ah Sung: They’ll call you.]

[Instructor Ah Sung: If you don’t answer, you’re out.]

[Me: Really?]

[Instructor Ah Sung: Lol, kidding.]

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t happy.

He also had a large sum of money coming in.

It made him want to splurge on something, maybe even go on a trip.

But instead of giving in to those impulses, Min Ki decided to stick to his usual routine.

Early morning.

[I’m a superhero~ A world where dreams come true~ Even if I fall seven times, I’ll hit a home run in the ninth inning with two outs~]

“……”

The loud alarm woke him up.

The moment his eyes opened, he washed up while reviewing yesterday’s acting in his mind.

For breakfast, he ate chicken breast, roasted sweet potatoes, and a salad, matching his fitness regimen.

Only seven almonds were allowed.

Once everything was ready…

“Huff, huff.”

He jogged to the academy, breathing in the crisp morning air.

His legs tingled, and his body heated up, but his mind calmed and focused.

This was the time when Min Ki organized his thoughts for the day.

‘Getting accepted is great, but it’s too early to be satisfied. Signing with an agency is just another step in the process.’

Of course, in his previous life, even getting this far had seemed out of reach.

The agency he’d signed with wasn’t a big player; it had been established during the entertainment boom and lacked credibility.

All the roles he had landed had been nameless supporting roles or minor parts where his face barely showed.

But having spent time doing those bit parts, Min Ki had learned a bit about the industry.

The real competition began after you joined an agency.

‘The saying goes that the beginning is half the battle. I need to start off strong.’

Even after joining an agency, he still had to compete for roles.

The leniency given to trainees would now be replaced by the harsh judgment of a professional.

Many actors had ended up stuck in minor roles for years just because they hadn’t started out right.

Naive newcomers might think that signing with an agency was enough to make them celebrities.

‘Phew, I’ve already arrived.’

But Min Ki, on the contrary, was becoming even more cautious.

‘It seems like I’m getting to the academy earlier and earlier.’

Of course, he wasn’t Yoo Seon Ah.

“Min Ki! Congratulations! You’ve worked so hard!”

She greeted him with a bright voice as if his success were her own.

“……”

“Huh? You don’t seem happy?”

When he didn’t respond, she looked puzzled and asked.

“No, I’m happy.”

But the situation wasn’t one where he could fully rejoice.

Why?

‘How can I be excited when I succeeded and others failed?’

Everyone except for him had failed the audition.

Even Yoo Seon Ah, who had trained with him under Instructor Kim Ah Sung, hadn’t made it.

“Oh, is it because of me?”

She gave a small smile and said,

“You know…”

“There’s no need to worry about me, Min Ki. Is this the only opportunity we’ll ever get?”

“……”

“They say you have to fail a bunch of times before you finally succeed in auditions. Sure, I’m a little disappointed, but it doesn’t hurt that much. Some people get rejected over ten times just in the document screening.”

“You mean me?”

“Oh, no, that wasn’t directed at you…”

Seon Ah fumbled over her words for a moment, but then shook her head and said,

“I’ll catch up to you soon, so go ahead and pave the way.”

Her tone was more challenging than playful.

Min Ki gave a blank look before smiling.

“Got it. Thanks for congratulating me. I’ll treat you to a meal later.”

Finally, he managed to thank her for congratulating him.

Despite having failed herself, she had genuinely celebrated his success, and Min Ki felt lucky to have someone like her around as a fellow aspiring actor.

What he was feeling now could best be described as the “blessing of good relationships.”

Their awkward moment was about to pass when Seon Ah cautiously spoke again.

“Hey, Min Ki.”

She glanced at him and suggested,

“Why don’t we have a little party tonight to celebrate?”

“A party?”

“Yeah, with Instructor Kim and Tak too. There’s a nice wine bar next to the academy I’ve been wanting to try.”

“Hmm, a party sounds good.”

Min Ki hesitated before responding, a bit unsure.

“But I have a part-time job tonight.”

“Can’t you take a day off?”

“No, I can’t. If I skip out, it would cause trouble for my boss, and I also need to keep practicing.”

“Wow… You’re really a role model for life.”

At Min Ki’s firm answer, Kim Tak playfully clapped his hands, as if he were pretending to be castanets.

“How can a person manage themselves so well? Min Ki, are you like… a machine?”

“I’m not a machine.”

“Then are you living a second life?”

“…No, seriously, I’m not.”

Min Ki’s heart skipped a beat for a moment, but he pretended nothing was wrong.

He stretched as if brushing off the suspicion, saying,

“Besides, just because I passed the audition doesn’t mean JC will serve everything on a silver platter. Even with a good agency, most actors spend years in obscurity… So now I have to work even harder, right?”

What he said was practically the truth.

But it was also something much easier said than done, especially after just receiving an acceptance notice.

His words struck a chord with Seon Ah, who replied with a somewhat inspired tone.

“I was planning to take it easy today, but after hearing what you said, I feel a little ashamed.”

“No, taking breaks is important too.”

“…?”

Seon Ah gave him a puzzled look, surprised at what seemed like a contradiction in his words.

“I just want to live this way. For other people, taking breaks might actually help them do better.”

“……”

“And besides, I still have a few days left before my cheat day. If I drink today, Manager Kwon will tear me apart.”

“Oh, right, you mentioned you’re working out.”

“Yeah, so let’s plan for the weekend. Let’s do it properly then.”

“Hm, okay, that sounds good.”

Their little celebratory conversation ended on a simple note.

Min Ki, even after achieving some success, chose to continue his disciplined lifestyle, and Seon Ah seemed positively influenced by his attitude.

‘This guy is really something else.’

Even Kim Tak appeared to have gained a small insight.

And as for Kim Ah Sung…

“Oh, looks like we’re already here.”

He arrived a little later than the others.

“Instructor?”

“Min Ki, since you passed the audition, let’s do something different today instead of practice.”

He was suggesting they skip practice to do something else.

“Huh?”

Just as Min Ki was about to respond, Kim Tak jumped in, speaking for him.

“Instructor, no!”

“Huh? I was asking Min Ki, why are you answering, Tak?”

“Well, Min Ki said he was going to practice today. There’s plenty of time to hang out later.”

“Oh, really? That’s a great attitude.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung nodded, looking slightly confused, before saying,

“But actually, I wasn’t planning to take you out to just hang out today.”

“Huh?”

“You passed the audition, right? So I’m suggesting we go do something even better.”

He looked at Min Ki and pointed with his thumb towards outside the practice room.

“They’re filming something nearby and need an extra male actor.”