Chapter Twenty-Three: “The King”

"Maknae, are you interested in acting in a movie?"

After the gathering ended, Jo In-sung kept Myung-an behind.

"In-sung hyung, of course I am." Myung-an didn't hide his enthusiasm. The resources within their brotherhood were shared; if there was an opportunity, they would naturally help each other out.

The entertainment industry is essentially a circle; many resources circulate within it, and having connections is undeniably beneficial.

Jo In-sung appreciated Myung-an's candor. "You know Director Han Jae-rim, right?"

"I do," Myung-an nodded. "He's a big-time director."

Han Jae-rim had won Best Director at the 50th Grand Bell Awards in 2013 for *The Face Reader*. In the industry, he was the kind of figure many people wanted to connect with but couldn't.

"He was actually asking about you."

"Asking about me?"

Myung-an was genuinely surprised. While he had a bit of fame now, movies and television were essentially different circles. Why would Han Jae-rim be asking about him?

"That’s right. The director is planning a new movie, and he watched your performance in *Descendants of the Sun*. He’s quite interested in you," Jo In-sung explained with a smile.

Myung-an asked curiously, "In-sung hyung, how do you know that?"

"Because I’m the male lead in his new film."

Han Jae-rim had a script he’d been preparing for over a year, and the first actor he approached for the lead was Jo In-sung.

Listen to that—that was the power of a senior. Myung-an hadn't even touched the threshold of the film industry yet, and Jo In-sung was already the director's pre-selected lead.

"Then I..."

"Don't rush. I’m just giving you a heads-up. In a few days, I'll take you to meet him." Jo In-sung cautioned his younger brother, "Remember to perform well. It’s a rare opportunity."

His influence could only guarantee that Myung-an would get priority consideration; it couldn't dictate Han Jae-rim’s decision. Any director with a modicum of artistic ambition had their own specific requirements for casting.

However, Jo In-sung felt confident in Myung-an. During the filming of *It's Okay, That's Love*, the role Myung-an played hadn't been simple, yet he had handled it beautifully. He was like a sponge, hungrily absorbing every bit of knowledge and progressing rapidly.

"In-sung hyung, give me a hint, so I can prepare in advance."

"The movie is called *The King*. Just think about playing a gangster."

***

("The King" began filming in February 2016 and was released in January 2017. For the sake of the plot, the timeline has been adjusted in the book; I hope everyone understands.)

...

"Minjeong, just take it."

Myung-yue hesitated for a moment before finally letting her daughter accept the card. The relationship between her brother and her father wasn't something that could be cleared up in a few words. It was better to leave it be for now; there was no need for Kim Minjeong to know the details.

"Okay, Mom. How are you and Dad doing abroad?" Kim Minjeong asked softly.

She had had a wonderful time in Seoul over the past few days, busy with intensive preparations for her new life. But that didn't mean the little one didn't miss home or her parents. Having left behind her familiar environment, her mother, and her classmates, it was a testament to Myung-an’s care that she hadn't been crying in her bed every night.

"Your father and I are doing well." Myung-yue’s voice carried the same longing for her daughter. "Minjeong-ah, how are things in Seoul? Are you getting along with your uncle?"

She was quite curious about what kind of sparks would fly between her brother and her daughter.

"Little Uncle is very good to me. My bedding is all new, and he even took me to S.M. and JYP. Those entertainment companies are so huge, and the seniors are all so impressive..."

Kim Minjeong opened the floodgates, eager to tell her mother everything that had happened. Seoul really was great; these past few days had been more exciting than the last fifteen years in Yangsan.

"Wait, Minjeong-ah. You mentioned several unnis earlier—aside from Jisoo and Nayeon, who else?" Compared to the trivial matters, Myung-yue was clearly more concerned about the women appearing around her brother.

Kim Jisoo and Im Nayeon went without saying; they were his two best friends since elementary school. Myung-yue had already given up on the idea of them becoming her sisters-in-law. There was no helping it—they were just too familiar. Of course, she understood her brother’s age and the unique nature of his profession, so she wasn't pressuring him to marry; she was just curious if there would ever be a woman who could make Myung-an settle down.

"There's also Krystal Jung unni."

"Is she very close with your uncle?"

"Krystal unni probably isn't Little Uncle's girlfriend."

Kim Minjeong was fifteen, not a child; she could certainly understand the hidden questions in her mother's tone. Furthermore, children today were precocious. Some started dating in elementary school, and there were even teenagers who went off to hotels.

Myung-yue coughed lightly to hide her embarrassment. "Ahem, I see."

A glint of wisdom flashed in Kim Minjeong's eyes. After these few days of living together, combined with the things her mother had inadvertently let slip, she felt that her uncle was a man with quite a story. It seemed she would have to pay more attention in the future; who knew what she might discover?

***

Im Nayeon: "Silly child, you are the prey of the unnis."

"Minjeong..."

"Mom?"

"Mom can tell that you’re happy when you talk about being a trainee," Myung-yue said sincerely. "Mom was wrong before. If this is the path you’ve chosen for yourself, then Mom supports you."

"Mom~"

"Minjeong, Dad and I will be rooting for you."

Kim Minjeong had been on the verge of tears, but hearing the word "Dad" made her hold them back. "Mom, does... does Dad know too?"

It was strange; even though Myung-yue usually managed her daughter more, the little one was always more afraid of her father.

"Of course your father knows. He even set your latest photo as his lock screen."

"Really?"

"Really, but he told me not to tell you."

Kim Minjeong hung up the phone happily. There was nothing more delightful than knowing her parents were somewhere in the world, loving her deeply. Even across thousands of miles, that affection remained sincere. The panic she felt regarding her audition results dissipated quite a bit; as long as her family was supporting her from behind, everything would be fine.

"Minjeong-ah, why are you crying? Did someone bully you?" When Myung-an pushed the door open, he saw his cute little niece with tear-filled eyes.

Could the audition results have come out? On the day of the audition, she had left her own phone number.

"No~"

"Tell me, who was it? Uncle will stand up for you. Nobody is allowed to bully our Minjeong."

"My mom."

"Uh..."

That was a bit too tough to handle.