The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest

Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 277

"Being abandoned is like that."

Seo Ji-oh spoke in a monotone.

"You can't even fully experience the feeling of wanting to see them. Because longing for someone who abandoned you only makes you feel more miserable."

"......"

"Do Yoo-young probably doesn't want to feel like a fool. Even if she misses her mom, she's probably coming to terms with the fact that she's no longer there."

His tone was light, but the emotion in his voice was deep.

Knowing his circumstances, I couldn't easily open my mouth.

"Then…."

Han Ha-ram, who had been lost in thought, asked.

"What is the standard for abandonment?"

"Standard?"

"Yes! Yoo-young's mom still visits her! Isn't it hard to say that she abandoned her?"

At that innocent question, Seo Ji-oh let out a bitter laugh.

"Coming once every few months doesn't mean anything. She doesn't care about what the kid is doing now, where she is, and hardly keeps in touch. That's the same as abandoning her."

"......"

At his cynical answer, Han Ha-ram chewed on his lips.

After hesitating for a long while, he finally spoke.

"Then what about a week…?"

"What?"

"If it's about a week, that's short, so it's fine, right? That wouldn't really count as abandonment."

His voice lacked confidence.

As if his voice could scatter at any moment, Han Ha-ram looked up at me and asked in a small voice.

"Right? Yeon-jae?"

"......"

Meeting his pitiful gaze, I slowly nodded.

"A week is fine. There's no problem."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's not strange at all."

I gently patted his head.

"Seo Ji-oh, don't you think so too?"

"What? Oh, yeah."

Taken aback by the sudden question, Seo Ji-oh was momentarily flustered but quickly read my expression and went along.

"Sure. A week is nothing. People usually go on trips for about a week."

"Ji-oh is right. That’s just a short break."

I smiled brightly as if there was no problem.

Only after Seo Ji-oh also sided with us did Han Ha-ram finally look relieved and his expression brightened.

"Hehe, that's a relief…."

I kept smiling and raised my voice.

"It's already this late! Time to sleep. Ha-ram, go brush your teeth."

"What about you, Yeon-jae? Not going with me?"

"I'll be back after taking Ji-oh to his place."

"You'll be back soon, right?"

"Of course. I promise."

After making sure Han Ha-ram went into the bathroom, I put on my shoes.

Seo Ji-oh's place was on the second floor.

Even though I didn't really need to take him since it was just down the stairs….

"Yeon-jae, what was that just now?"

I couldn't ignore the puzzled look on Seo Ji-oh's face.

I needed a moment to catch my breath too.

"What do you mean by a week? Why did the kid suddenly say that?"

I sighed at his response, which indicated he still didn’t understand the situation.

"I agreed to take care of Ha-ram for about a week."

"Yeah."

"Ha-ram's father asked me not to contact them during that time."

"What?"

Seo Ji-oh's eyebrows furrowed deeply.

I had reacted the same way four days ago.

"His wife has been extremely stressed by the recent kidnapping incident. She’s always been frail, so he wants her to rest without any worries for a week."

"......"

"I suggested calling at least once a day because the kid might feel anxious...”

I tried to speak as calmly as possible.

But the sigh I had been holding back escaped involuntarily.

"Sigh, he said the kid wants to be with me anyway, so what's the problem? He asked if the kid didn't already choose to stay with me."

"......"

Seo Ji-oh's jaw dropped.

It was an expression I had never seen on him before, but I didn't have the luxury to find it amusing.

"They asked not to contact them for a week so she can rest, and Ha-ram was right next to me when I got the call. I couldn't even properly express my anger because I was worried he might overhear."

I had hoped he didn't hear.

But his recent reaction was unmistakable.

'This is troubling.'

As I let out a deep sigh, Seo Ji-oh rubbed his face with his hands.

Then he muttered softly.

"Not a single normal family member...”

Indeed.

Was this what people meant when they said birds of a feather flock together?

Seo Ji-oh, Noh Bi-hyuk, Han Ha-ram, and me.

None of us had experienced a smooth family life.

'Even though we're all grown up, Han Ha-ram….’

He already knew his parents weren't his biological ones.

That’s why he kept glancing around nervously, as if trying to read the room.

'Should I just bring him home with me?’

Honestly, it would be a lie to say I didn’t want to.

I was clearly satisfied with the time I had spent with him over the past four days.

‘I could take better care of him.’

That thought had just crossed my mind.

But seeing his reaction a moment ago brought me back to reality as if I had been doused with ice water.

No matter how kindly I treated him, or how well I took care of him, I couldn't fill the void left by his parents.

‘It’s really hopeless.’

I didn’t know what to do.

What should I do to achieve the best outcome?

‘Counseling requires the guardian’s consent.’

When I suggested counseling after the kidnapping incident, Han Ha-ram’s parents vehemently opposed it.

They argued that having a history of counseling could cause problems when seeking employment later on and that there was no telling how rumors might spread.

‘Is that really the main concern when the kid is traumatized?’

But Han Ha-ram's legal guardians were his parents.

All I could do was be there for him for a week.

Just that one thing.

I was overwhelmed with helplessness and frustration.

“Yeon-jae.”

Seo Ji-oh sat next to me on the stairs where I was sitting.

“Let’s stop here.”

“What?”

“Thinking about Han Ha-ram. Even as a third party, it’s a depressing story. I understand how you feel. But let’s call it a day for now.”

Seo Ji-oh looked straight into my eyes.

“Why do you only think about others? You need to think about yourself too.”

His pale eyes held a subtle reproach.

After a moment of hesitation, I answered.

“I am thinking about myself enough.”

“Sorry, but I’m not as mild as the people around you. I don’t believe you.”

He easily dismissed my words.

“There are countless people in this world like pests. I wish they were just rude or stupid, but unfortunately, such people can’t seem to discern right from wrong.”

Seo Ji-oh smiled loosely.

Even though he was smiling, he looked fierce.

“Just because pests roam the streets doesn’t mean it’s our fault. It’d be nice to pour bleach and kill them all, but we can’t do that in a country governed by law.”

“......”

His biting tone left me speechless for a moment.

Whether I stared blankly or not, he continued speaking calmly.

“Han Ha-ram’s parents are just one of many pests. It’s not Han Ha-ram’s fault, and it’s not your fault either.”

“I know it’s pointless to discuss right and wrong.”

As always, what mattered was finding a solution.

Words slipped out of my mouth automatically.

“Seo Ji-oh, what do you think is the best thing to do? I don’t know what to do for Ha-ram.”

I hadn’t expected to say such things to Seo Ji-oh.

In the late night, on the dark stairs.

Maybe it was because I could feel someone nearby in that situation.

I felt a strong urge to lean on him.

And the answer I received was so nonchalant.

“I don’t know either. How would I know?”

“......”

That’s just like him.

Seo Ji-oh looked as if this was just someone else’s problem.

‘What was I expecting?’

I felt a brief sense of futility, but then he spoke again.

“I only have one thought in my head right now. It’s not particularly helpful, though.”

“What is it?”

A disgruntled tone escaped me before I realized it.

Seo Ji-oh answered calmly.

“I wish you had been there when I was nine years old.”

“......”

“From that perspective, Han Ha-ram’s childhood isn’t entirely gloomy. His parents might be a bit lacking, but nothing is perfect.”

He shrugged.

“So don’t take it too hard. Let go of the strange compulsion that you have to solve everything.”

“Do I really seem that strange?”

“You seem a bit overboard.”

Even if it’s you.

His words made me feel awkward.

Because I recognized that part of myself.

“I don’t know why I’m so inclined to take care of Han Ha-ram either.”

“Yeon-jae, how about sixteen-year-old Seo Ji-oh? He could use a warm hand too.”

Oh, come on.

His lighthearted tone trying to lighten the mood made me laugh.

‘He’s a decent guy.’

He might be a bit strange, but I thought his comfort was pretty good.

Seo Ji-oh gave a serene smile.

“Why are you just laughing? I’m serious.”

“......”

“Pay attention to me too. I didn’t have someone like you to pat my head when I was nine. If you think about it, I was even more lonely—”

“Just stop it, just stop.”

I raised my hand to cover his mouth.

I shook my head in disbelief.

‘People really do flock together.’

Why are there only strange people around me?

Mumbling behind my hand, Seo Ji-oh looked like a child today.

Seeing him like that made me shiver.

‘...Do I look like this to others too?’

It made me feel a bit uneasy.

*    *    *

The next morning.

Nonetheless, unlike the previous night, I woke up with a relatively comfortable mind.

‘I think it was good that I talked to Seo Ji-oh.’

Although I didn’t receive particularly helpful answers, the conversation wasn’t bad.

With a slightly eased heart, I headed to the filming site.

But as soon as I took a step, all the staff rushed toward me.

“Yeon-jae! You looked amazing!”

“We're all rewatching the video right now!”

“...What?”

What video?

Despite my bewildered expression, everyone was too busy talking to answer me.

“You totally nailed that high-teen vibe. I screamed the moment I saw you in the football uniform.”

“For me, it was the science lab! You looked so cute with those safety goggles. Can't we include something like that in our movie?”

“Why would there be safety goggles in a rural film?”

“Ah, why not!! We could have a science class before the summer vacation! Anyone want to join me in asking the director? Please, just one person.”

Listening to the flood of words, it suddenly dawned on me.

‘Has it already happened?’

Time sure flies.

Feeling a bit awkward, I turned on my phone.

There was no need to search.

The real-time trends were already filled with various terms including my name.

‘Lee Yeon-jae football’

‘Lily’s new song’

‘Our Bambi’

Right. Today was the release day of Lily Sweetie's music video.

‘The reactions are already intense.’

When I checked the fan café, posts were being updated nonstop.

With each refresh, new posts poured in, all related to Lily's music video.

There were even fans curious about behind-the-scenes details.

‘I should write a post in the fan café after today’s shoot.’

I was vaguely thinking that.

Until I heard this news from Jin-bae hyung that evening.

“What?”

I asked in a daze.

“You want me to do the broadcast alone?”