Chapter 9. Summer's Closet Script Reading (1)
A few days had passed since signing the contract with LN Media.
"Hmm, come to think of it…" A question Yeon-woo hadn't considered once since deciding to start his new life surfaced.
'What happened to my assets from my past life as Jeon Su-hwan?'
While actual deaths in the field were rare, field agents often faced dangerous situations. As a precaution, they designated beneficiaries for their pensions and assets through a non-profit foundation managed by the government and established liens on their assets and liabilities.
Since Yeon-woo had been stationed overseas for ten years before his death, he didn't own a house in Korea. The residences he used in operational zones were mostly safe houses provided by the embassy.
'I must have had hundreds of thousands of dollars in my bank account. Who did I designate as the beneficiary?'
Lost in thought, Yeon-woo suddenly clapped his hands. "The House of Love and Hope."
The House of Love and Hope was a long-established children's welfare facility in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, run by a convent. It was the orphanage where Jeon Su-hwan, Yeon-woo's past self, had grown up.
Jeon Su-hwan, in his early thirties when he was assigned overseas, had designated The House of Love and Hope as his beneficiary.
Having remembered, he became curious about whether the donation had actually gone through. After all, it was the sum of his life's work, earned through risking his life for his country.
After some hesitation, Yeon-woo picked up his smartphone and called the number listed online.
Ring, ring, ring…
–"Hello, House of Love and Hope."
It was a female employee's voice he'd never heard before. It was only natural, as more than twenty years had passed since he'd left the orphanage.
"Hello, I'm calling to inquire about something."
–"Yes, how may I help you?"
"Did you receive a donation in 2017, under the name 'Jeon Su-hwan'?"
–"Yes, we did. Our donation records are transparently disclosed online. That's strange. We received the same question today…"
Yeon-woo's ears perked up at the employee's last words. "The same question?"
–"Yes, a prosecutor called this morning asking about Mr. Jeon Su-hwan's donation."
'My donation…?'
"Do you happen to remember the prosecutor's name?"
–"No, I don't. I only remember he said he was from the Busan District Prosecutor's Office."
Yeon-woo tilted his head, puzzled, but continued, "I see. Thank you for the information. Goodbye."
–"You're welcome."
After hanging up, Yeon-woo sat in thought.
'The Busan District Prosecutor's Office inquiring about my donation…? Why?'
He had no connection to Busan in his past life. Even if he had, his personal information would have been classified after his death, replaced with a fabricated, ordinary profile.
'There's no way for me to find out now.'
Even if someone investigated Jeon Su-hwan's life, it was classified information handled by the state. He was already dead, and there were no family or friends who would be affected. And since it was impossible to establish a link between him and his reincarnated self, it shouldn't matter.
He was simply curious.
"I'll look into it discreetly when I have the chance."
Time flew by, and the first script reading was fast approaching.
When he explained the situation to the school and submitted an absence form, his friends were puzzled.
"I know you're attending an acting academy, but you're skipping school for it?" Joon-soo asked.
Yeon-woo replied with a smile, "Yeah, I received an official letter. I don't think I'll get full attendance credit, but it might be counted as an early dismissal."
"Are you performing somewhere? A friend of mine's brother attends your academy and performs in small theaters."
"Um, not exactly… I'll tell you when things progress a bit further."
Yeon-woo didn't want to seem boastful or make a fuss before filming even started. He planned to tell his friends closer to the broadcast date.
Sung-sik, who was sitting in front of him, turned around. "But you're at the top of the class. Won't skipping school affect your grades?"
"I don't know. I haven't thought about that."
Honestly, having attended university under the 5th National Curriculum, the current system felt distant and uninteresting to Yeon-woo.
"You're so strange. If I had your grades, I'd be obsessed with my GPA. Ugh, I suddenly feel depressed."
"University… I'm not really interested, but if I have to go, I'll take the regular admissions exam." Yeon-woo was currently focused on his acting career and had little interest in university or school life.
"But we're going to be seniors soon. My brother told me, 'One blink, and you'll be in college, then in the military.'"
"…Oh?" Yeon-woo was momentarily speechless. Incredibly, he hadn't thought about the military once since his rebirth.
"…I'm… draft-eligible?"
"What are you talking about? We're eighteen."
"Right… I guess I have to go to university. Or maybe even graduate school."
Joon-soo and Sung-sik exchanged puzzled looks at Yeon-woo's alternatingly nonsensical and obvious remarks.
"Hello, I'm rookie actor Ryu Yeon-woo. Please take care of me."
Yeon-woo was on a different floor of the same building where he had auditioned. He was sitting alone in the middle of a large conference room and quickly stood up to greet the entering staff.
"Wow, you look like a real actor. Why are you here so early? We're just setting up."
The staff dispersed and busily prepared for the script reading, which would be filmed. These days, uploading making-of videos before the broadcast was essential for generating buzz.
"Oh my, you're so handsome, actor."
Yeon-woo went around the conference room, greeting everyone from the camera crew to the makeup team.
"That kid is so polite, isn't he?"
"I know, right? These days, kids usually arrive just on time and act all shy. It's been a while since someone came to greet us first." Kang In-chan, a veteran cinematographer with twenty years of experience, continued, arms crossed, "Not that actors these days are bad, but they lack boldness. My son is the same way." He couldn't help but compare the tall, handsome, and polite Yeon-woo to his own son.
"…Did he say his name was Ryu Yeon-woo?"
"Yeah. I'm joining his fan club today."
Yeon-joo smiled slightly at Joo-hee's comment about a fan club. "He's a rookie actor. I doubt he has a fan club yet."
"Then I'll create one." The makeup team, waiting to film the main actors' making-of interviews, had hearts in their eyes.
"By the way, is that actor still barefaced? Wow, flawless skin. I hope I get to do his makeup today."
"A rookie? I doubt he'll have a separate interview. He probably won't be getting makeup today. He's probably a supporting actor or even a bit player."
"I guess so."
An hour passed, and there were about thirty minutes left before the script reading.
Actors and staff members began to arrive. They gathered in small groups, exchanging greetings and chatting with those they had worked with before or knew personally.
"What role is that handsome actor playing? The one who greeted us earlier. I don't think I've seen him before," asked Son Jin-wook, who was playing the male lead, 'Kang Seo-joon.'
"I don't know. His name is Ryu Yeon-woo, right? Let's see." Lee Jae-sung scanned the nameplates in front of the seats, starting from the back, and finally found Ryu Yeon-woo's name at the very front. "Jin-wook, he's sitting right across from you."
"Hmm? Was he cast as a lead? I thought the main casting was finished. If he's a supporting role, is he playing Hwang Jae-il?"
"Senior, I'm playing Hwang Jae-il. I talked to him briefly at the audition. I wonder what role he's playing," said Ahn Joon-ho, who was playing Jae-il, raising his hand slightly.
"Actors, staff members, please take your seats. We'll be starting soon."
At the assistant director's announcement, everyone began to find their seats.
"We met earlier, right? Nice to see you again. What role are you playing?" Son Jin-wook smiled and greeted Yeon-woo, who had just returned from the restroom and was sitting across from him.
"Hello, senior. I'm playing Cha Woo-joo." Yeon-woo replied with a bright smile.
"Oh, I see. I heard Jung Min-hwan was playing that role."
"I heard he had to drop out due to unforeseen circumstances. It's a pleasure to work with you, senior!"
Jin-wook smiled warmly at Yeon-woo's polite greeting. "This is a college drama, and I'm already insecure. Casting such a handsome guy… what am I supposed to do? I'm thirty, you know." He joked, complimenting Yeon-woo's looks.
Han So-hyun, the actress playing Jung Yeo-reum, playfully patted Jin-wook's shoulder. "Hey, you played a college student in your last movie. Don't complain, Son Jin-wook. I'm twenty-eight, and Yeo-reum is twenty. Sigh."
Ryu Yeon-woo bowed to Han So-hyun. "Hello, senior. I'm rookie actor Ryu Yeon-woo."
"Nice to meet you. You look exactly like how I imagined Woo-joo, so I feel a sense of familiarity."
"My younger sister's name is also So-hyun, so I feel a connection too, senior," Yeon-woo replied with a gentle voice and a smile. So-hyun's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Oh, I see. But no need for formalities. Just speak comfortably. How old are you…?"
"Eighteen."
"Eighteen?! You're a minor?" Her eyes widened in surprise.
The supporting actors and staff, who had been listening to the conversation between the leads, were also surprised.
"By the time the drama ends, you'll be taking the college entrance exam."
"Wait, what? He's ten years younger than me. Oh dear."
"I'm competing with a high school student for Yeo-reum's affections. Seriously."
Son Jin-wook and Han So-hyun's banter brought laughter to the room.
Just then, Director Kim Han-soo and Screenwriter Choi Mi-hyun entered the conference room, and everyone's attention turned to them.