The long-awaited month of September has finally arrived.
This time, instead of Seo Eun-hye, Lee Min-joon decided to follow Seojun as his manager and guardian.
Kim Hee-sung changed Lee Min-joon's schedule as promised. Of course, he didn't forget to give paperworks in Lee Min-joon's hands that could be done in the U.S. as well.
The plane that left Korea spent a lot of time in the sky and just arrived in America.
"Hi! Seojun!"
"Auntie Nara!"
"You look like you're very excited every time you come here."
Nara arrived the airport and welcomed the two with big arms.
Nara still had a short hair cut and wore black sunglasses. Seojun ran and hugged Nara.
"Seojun grew up a lot!"
The two had good chemistry, laughed and held each other hands.
People around him clapped for some reason. Lee Min-joon face became, he covered his face with one hand and sighed.
Lee Min-joon and Seojun went inside Nara's car. The three left the airport with their seat belts fastened and headed for their own destination.
Seojun looked out through the window. This was a city he had never been to before.
After a while he saw big buildings. There were a lot of people, too. Not only locals but also tourists taking pictures here and there with cameras.
Nara pointed toward one of the buildings.
"That's the Empire State Building. It used to be the tallest building."
"Wow."
Seojun's eyes sparkled.
A city that doesn't fall asleep, New York.
This city was the filming location for Shadowman 2.
Nara dropped Seojun and Lee Min-joon off in front of the hotel and before saying goodbye he gave Seojun a lot of presents.
Whenever Nara went shopping, she would buy things for Seojun, but the amount of gift she stackpiled was huge because she met him again only after almost a year.
It was piled up inside a box next to their trolleys, and the box's height was higher than Seojun's height. Lee Min-joon agonized. How can they bring this back to Korea?
"Then I'll be on my way."
"Auntie, are you going to work?" (TL: Just realized that Nara and Kevin are siblings but Seojun calls one auntie and the other brother. The hierarchy is kind of messed up)
"No, I have to go home. Then, good luck to your shoot. Call me if you need anything."
Nara started the engine and in a blink of an eye, she bolted.
Lee Min-joon was holding the gift box reaching up to his chin and smiled.
"She came from LA to New York just to give Seojun a gift. Nara is amazing."
"Auntie, you're awesome!"
"Yeah, that's cool."
Seojun and Lee Min-joon smiled and went inside the hotel with their trolleys and gifts from Nara.
The next day.
Seojun and Lee Min-joon went around the hotel after adjusting to the time difference and before the filming. During their walk, they received a call from director Ryan Will.
Ryan Will briefly greeted Lee Min-joon, who answered the phone, asked Seojun.
"I don't think you had the chance to meet the other actors because you have been practicing and stayed in Korea. If you have time tonight, why don't you say hello to all of them?"
Seojun's eyes turned towards Lee Min-joon.
Lee Min-joon, who was listening next to him, nodded with a smile.
"Okay, but who would be coming?"
"Evan Block and Rachel Hill. There are the two people who will work with you."
"Wow!"
"Text me where and when. Did you memorize the script?"
"Of course."
Seojun nodded to the phone when it wasn't even a video call.
He just received the Script recently, but the smart Seojun already memorized every line he would utter.
In addition, Seojun's emotional performance for Shadowman 2 was similar to the one-man drama he had practiced for eight months, so he could do it easily.
"All right, see you later."
"Yes."
Seojun hung up the phone, he was excited at the text message that arrived soon after the call ended. They went back to their rooms and pulled out the script for Shadow Man 2 from his bag.
He thought he should practice his lines first before going. But he only read the lines of the two actors who he was about to meet, he would occasionally looked at the clock. The hour hand and minute hand did not seem to move.
On the slower-than-usual clock, Seojun asked his innocent father.
"Dad, dad. How long has it been?"
"Hmm. Five minutes?"
It's already been 5 times since he asked for the time. Seojunvknows how to read the clock but he seemed to be really looking forward to meeting the two actors.
Lee Min-joon opened his laptop, lay in the bed, and did his paperwork beside Seojun, who was readinhg the script again while looking at the clock.
"If you're bored, why don't you look for a movie with two people until then?"
"Yes!"
Seojun got up and sat next to his dad. He searched the names of the actors and found the movies where they starred in.
Evan Block was already on Shadowman and Rachel Hill first appearance would be on Shadowman 2.
The two were looking at Evan Block and Rachel Hill's filmography and found it interesting.
"There's also a movie where the two of them appeared together."
"Let's watch this!"
"Should we?"
Lee Min-joon and Seojun talked to each other while watching the Romance movie "With" starring the two actors.
The movie "With" was a movie that couldn't be watched without chewing popcorns.
***
"I love this scene the most."
Rachel Hill looked at the big television screen with a look of admiration.
"The CG is no joke, but the acting is great."
Evan Block nodded at Rachel Hill's words. Clearly, the inner conversation with God was later inserted.
No matter how good at editing, how can it be so natural?
"Last year, the director contacted me to have me in the movie together with Seojun Lee, so I wanted to watch one of his movies. I didn't expect the director to send me a copy of the whole because the screening in America finished."
"Right, we need to know the other person's capabilities."
Rachel Hill shook her head. Evan Block opened his [Seojun Lee] note from his bag. Rachel Hill 'tsk' her tongue at the sight of his notebook, which was full of notes.
'There's a note with my name on it.'
She wanted to read what kind of evaluation he made for her, and she was, of course, afraid of reading negative opinions coming from him. Rachel Hill chewed on popcorn.
"Another analysis time? So, what do you think? What about Jun's acting? People say it's Immerse acting."
"Well."
Evan Block looked back at the screen, smoothing his chin. The golden fire was moving around on the screen. Evan Block's blue eyes glittered through the light.
"I don't think so."
"How come you're so into acting?"
Rachel Hill looked at the screen. There was a child in red with flapping clothes. He acted so natural and skillful that one may have thought he would have done such a thing since he was born.
Evan Block slowly opened his mouth.
"Ryan advised Melissa Walton to play another role if possible."
"Right."
A year ago, officials in Hollywood focused on Melissa Walton.
Inspired by her desperate tears, directors sent Melissa Walton a love call with similar roles, but she all refused and acted in a romance comedy film.
It wasn't a huge hit, but many said it was a movie that showcases Melissa Walton's new charm.
"According to the people on the set, Melissa Walton couldn't get out from the role crying even after the shoot, but there wasn't Seojul Lee. There was no child who lost his mother, there was only a child who enjoyed orange juice. That's how Ryan noticed it."
"…what?"
"Even if she played a similar character, Melissa Walton wouldn't get out easily if she played the same role. Seojun Lee was different."
Evan Block's eyes sparkled. Rachel Hill hesitated and asked.
"He's special. This is his gift. He made another actor immersed in their own acting. What kind of monstrous talent he possessed to point of affecting another actor?"
Evan Block grinned and opened his note. There were a lot of questions he wanted to ask Seojun Lee. Rachel Hill backed away from Evan Block a little.
"I can't wait to meet him."
"…Seojun Lee, I think you should hide now."