The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest

Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 282

After crying for an hour, Shin's eyes were swollen.

Despite his reddened eyes, Shin piled a spoonful of rice and took a big bite.

"Yum."

With a brave mouthful, Shin's eyes widened.

“It's delicious!”

“Yeah. Eat a lot.”

“Hae-soo, you're the best!”

“...I get it. Stop.”

Ji Hae-soo replied with an awkward face.

It was embarrassing every time he reacted like this at every meal.

“Eat with the side dishes.”

Although Ji Hae-soo spoke bluntly, he placed a piece of kimchi on Shin's spoon.

Shin smiled at the awkward kindness.

“Thanks!”

“Talk after you finish eating.”

As expected of homemade curry, it was full of meat, with potatoes that broke down softly with every bite, and a slightly spicy aroma.

It was an appetizing curry rice that anyone would want to eat, and Shin was devouring it quickly.

He took a big bite and savored the taste of the curry, but the sorrowful emotion didn't seem to disappear, as he sniffled from time to time.

“Tsk.”

Ji Hae-soo clicked his tongue and scolded him.

“Hey, either cry or eat. Do one or the other.”

Then Do Yoo-young kicked Ji Hae-soo with one foot.

It meant not to scold someone who was eating well.

Ji Hae-soo felt a subtle sense of self-realization at the fact that he understood the dog's intention immediately.

‘What am I doing right now…’

He couldn’t believe he was bringing side dishes from home and personally taking care of him at every meal.

But now he couldn't back out.

‘I can't let the kid starve.’

It was Ji Hae-soo who forcibly lifted Shin, who was clinging to Do Yoo-young and crying.

Because he had hugged the dog while crying, Shin’s face was covered with brown fur.

Ji Hae-soo clicked his tongue while brushing the fur off his face.

‘The refrigerator is empty. Let's just eat curry for dinner.’

Like performing magic, he quickly set the table with the ingredients in the refrigerator.

The spicy curry aroma wafted from the kitchen.

If it were a usual day, Shin would have sat at the table right away, but he was sniffling as if something was terribly sad.

If Ji Hae-soo hadn’t said, “If you keep crying, Do Yoo-young will get sick,” Shin wouldn't have stopped crying.

“...Sob.”

Ah, he hadn’t stopped yet.

Shin started sniffling again.

Watching his sorrowful eating show, Ji Hae-soo sighed.

“Why are you crying so much? What's the problem?”

“It's because I'm sad that Yoo-young is upset. I want Yoo-young to be happy.”

Shin sniffled with his reddened nose.

Even so, he was busy chewing the rice in his bulging cheeks.

“Why is Yoo-young upset? I really hate everything…”

In the end, his voice quivered with sobs.

Tears quickly welled up in Shin’s eyes.

‘Do something.’

Do Yoo-young nudged Ji Hae-soo again.

“Hey, you have to eat quickly so Do Yoo-young can eat too. Are you going to let Do Yoo-young go hungry?”

“…! No, I get it! I'll eat!”

Luckily, Ji Hae-soo’s words worked, and Shin quickly stopped crying.

Seeing him eat with still teary eyes was pitiful yet somehow amusing.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Ji Hae-soo sighed inwardly.

He had just sent Do Yoo-young’s mother away with a quick excuse, but his makeshift lie was sloppy at best.

There was no knowing when she would visit the house again, and more importantly, Ji Hae-soo had to call her.

She had to have a parent-teacher conference before the school vacation ceremony in two days!

‘Do Yoo-young, seriously.’

Ji Hae-soo held his aching head.

‘If you have these worries, tell me beforehand. Don’t just think about it alone.’

He resolved that the moment Do Yoo-young and Shin returned to their original states, he would hit his friend with all his might.

‘Let’s solve the immediate problem first.’

There were a mountain of issues to deal with immediately.

What to do about school tomorrow, how to handle the parent-teacher conference.

Before morning came, he had to find a solution with one dog and one person.

But before that.

‘…Let’s think after feeding him.’

Ji Hae-soo and Do Yoo-young nodded simultaneously with the same thought.

In front of them, Shin, knowing nothing, was eating diligently.

*    *    *

“Cut!”

With the director's shout, Lee Yeon-jae, who had been moving his chubby cheeks diligently, stopped.

The tear-filled eyes, drooping eyebrows, reddened nose from crying, and the sagging shoulders.

All of that disappeared in an instant.

Lee Yeon-jae returned to his expressionless state and silently chewed his food.

He looked like a completely different person from the boy who had been sobbing a few seconds ago.

Actress Sung Eun-hye, who witnessed the scene firsthand, marveled.

“Yeon-jae, really… How do you act like this? Lee Jun-ah, has he always been like this?”

Sung Lee-jun, who had been watching Lee Yeon-jae’s eating performance, nodded quickly.

“Yes. It’s amazing, right…!”

“How can his expression change so much with one cut? I can't believe it even seeing it.”

“What do you think, senior? Doesn’t Yeon-jae eat so heartily?”

Sung Lee-jun boasted in a proud voice.

Actress Sung Eun-hye seemed puzzled as to why Sung Lee-jun was so proud but nodded obediently.

“Right. I thought he'd even pick up sand to eat, but now it looks like a picky eater being forced to eat.”

“I’m not a picky eater.”

Lee Yeon-jae, who had just cleared his mouth, immediately retorted.

“It's Lee Jun-hyung who’s the picky eater.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Hyung, you don’t eat meat and cheese.”

“I can eat it if I want. I just don’t like it...!”

“That’s being a picky eater.”

“No, it’s not!”

The two of them seemed to get along very well.

Actress Sung Eun-hye looked back and forth at Lee Yeon-jae and Sung Lee-jun bickering with a surprised expression.

Meanwhile, the director who had been reviewing the footage shouted.

“The cut turned out great! We just need to shoot a full shot once more, but we’ll do that tomorrow. That’s it for today!”

It was already quite late.

The remaining shoot would continue the next day, and words of appreciation echoed all around.

“Senior, see you tomorrow. See you tomorrow, too, Lee Jun-hyung.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“Yeon-jae, sleep well...!”

After politely greeting the two, Lee Yeon-jae turned around.

His gaze passed over a man with a large build and landed on the child next to him.

“Ha-ram.”

At those words, Han Ha-ram, who had been quiet throughout the shoot, brightened up.

It was just his name being called, but he knew it was a kind of permission.

Han Ha-ram jumped up and ran to hug Lee Yeon-jae.

“Ugh.”

“Yeon-jae, today was really great again!”

Han Ha-ram whispered as he hugged Lee Yeon-jae.

Lee Yeon-jae chuckled at the words whispered in his ear as if worried someone might hear.

“Thanks. But how long are you going to keep hugging me? Don’t you consider your size?”

“Why? Am I heavy?”

“Yeah. Really heavy.”

Despite that, Lee Yeon-jae adjusted his posture to hold the child more firmly.

His gesture showed he had no intention of putting him down, making Han Ha-ram stifle a laugh inside.

‘Yeon-jae is so kind.’

The kind touch contrasted with his stoic face.

The more he felt it, the more he wanted this warmth.

Han Ha-ram clung to Lee Yeon-jae and shared his thoughts on today’s shoot as they went up to the dorm.

“Yeon-jae, you were really cute today.”

“…? Me?”

“Yeah. I liked your acting as Horn, but I think I love your acting as Shin the most! So cute.”

Lee Yeon-jae thanked him with a hesitant expression.

It was awkward for him to be called cute by a child seven years younger.

After returning to the dorm, Han Ha-ram cleaned up and lay on the bed.

“Yeon-jae, let’s sleep soon!”

Han Ha-ram patted the empty side of the bed.

Though his action was endearing, Lee Yeon-jae didn’t smile as usual and spoke quietly.

“Ha-ram, can we talk for a bit?”

Though his voice was calm, Han Ha-ram felt his heart drop.

“Why, why? Did I do something wrong?”

Did I bother him? No, I was quiet. I didn’t disturb him.

Han Ha-ram’s eyes darted nervously.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t say that.”

Lee Yeon-jae held both of Han Ha-ram’s hands.

“Ha-ram.”

“Yeah.”

“What do you think about your parents?”

“…Huh?”

What is he talking about all of a sudden?

Han Ha-ram blinked.

“Do you have any resentment towards them? Do you ever want to get angry or feel like it’s been hard?”

“Well…”

“Or any happy moments with them?”

Han Ha-ram tilted his head with a confused face.

Seeing his expression, Lee Yeon-jae spoke slowly.

“Ha-ram, you saw how Shin cares for Yoo-young, right? Just like Shin feels sad when Yoo-young is upset, I feel the same. If you’re having a hard time, it hurts me too.”

“Yeah.”

“You’re important to me. I want you to be happier.”

After hesitating for a moment, Lee Yeon-jae lifted his head.

His dark eyes met Han Ha-ram’s gentle ones.

“I want to help you be happier. Will you let me do that?”

“How?”

“Tell me what makes you happy. If there’s anything you want from your parents or something you haven’t been able to say, I’ll say it for you.”

Han Ha-ram stared blankly at the boy in front of him.

Then he spoke without thinking.

“I’m happiest when I’m with you, Yeon-jae….”

“...”

“I just need you, Yeon-jae.”

Han Ha-ram looked confused.

“Why are you bringing up my parents? Did my mom say something to you?”

“That’s not it. To discuss your happiness, we can’t leave out your parents.”

“Discuss? What’s discuss? A field?”

Lee Yeon-jae immediately switched to simple English for the child to understand.

“(Your mom and dad are the closest people to you. I want them to be good to you.)”

“(Yeah.)”

"(Have you ever felt upset about anything? Like your mom leaving you alone.)"

Although Lee Yeon-jae's English was fluent, Han Ha-ram couldn’t understand what he meant.

Han Ha-ram responded with an even more confused expression.

"(Is it upsetting when my mom leaves me alone?)"

Why? It happened all the time.

Why would that be upsetting?

"(It doesn't have to be upsetting. I was worried you might feel that way.)"

"(I've never been upset with my mom and dad. They can be a bit scary, but that's because they're adults, and that's just how adults are.)"

Adults are just like that.

"(I don't have anything I want from them. I don't really like that my mom wants me to be a model, but I’m glad I did it now.)"

"(Why?)"

Han Ha-ram laughed as if Lee Yeon-jae was asking something obvious.

"(Because I got to meet you.)"

"(...)"

"(I just need you. My mom and dad said I wouldn’t get in trouble as long as I listen to them. So, I just need to listen and stay with you.)"

At Han Ha-ram’s innocent words, Lee Yeon-jae showed a complicated expression.

"(Ha-ram, I appreciate that you think so highly of me. I understand why. I saved you from a bad person, so it's understandable. But it's only a temporary feeling.)"

"(A bad person?)"

"(Remember what happened last week? The man who took you.)"

Lee Yeon-jae spoke cautiously, but Han Ha-ram still couldn’t understand.

Why is he bringing that up?

"(I don't get what you're talking about. It has nothing to do with that.)"

Han Ha-ram responded firmly, though still filled with puzzlement.

"(I only felt this for the first time after meeting you.)"

"(What?)"

Han Ha-ram beamed.

"(Happiness!)"

"(...)"

Unlike Han Ha-ram's happy smile, Lee Yeon-jae’s expression grew even more serious.