Chapter 107
***
A genius child actor from a rural island.
Anyone would find that story thrilling.
People love underdogs.
They want stories about someone born with a dirt spoon rising to the top instead of someone born with a silver spoon.
In that respect, Yu Ari was exactly what the public wanted.
A child from a branch school with fewer than ten students.
Her father was a fisherman who operated a single small boat.
Her mother was simply a homemaker.
Even so, the child admired the actors she saw on TV and studied their performances.
And she made that brilliant talent bloom all on her own.
It was as if a jewel everyone coveted had fallen onto the side of the road.
After the broadcast aired, many entertainment companies began making moves.
It was a situation in which whoever picked her up first would be the winner.
And what Yu Ari chose was none other than the agency that represented an idol she liked.
GY Entertainment.
Ko Gang-hu, the president of GY Entertainment, was delighted to have lucked into such a jewel.
And he worked Yu Ari to the bone.
Since he had offered her a substantial signing bonus and salary, he worked her hard to get his money's worth.
He sent her profile everywhere that needed a child actor.
To a child who had only just entered third grade.
For a child with nothing but talent, it was a horrifying time.
And when the child became an adult.
"I'll retire."
Yu Ari no longer loved acting, so she chose retirement without the slightest hesitation.
It was the moment a future great star disappeared.
***
Those who had watched Yu Ari's acting in awe quietly reached for their phones.
They contacted agencies—or presidents they knew—to try to get to the girl first.
"I've seen many talented child actors."
And yet, not many of them continued to shine after becoming adults.
The reason was simple.
Companies had gnawed away all the talent and brilliance they possessed as children.
"The parents are a problem, too. Since child actors receive so much money every time they film, it's only natural for their parents to be swayed."
In the future Yu Ari saw, her parents were swayed, too.
On top of that, Ari wanted to go to the agency where the idol she liked was.
In the end, she went to GY Entertainment, where they would only consume her talent.
"I'm worried she'll go somewhere mediocre, have her talent sucked dry, and end up with nothing."
There are companies that drain an actor's talent.
No—in fact, there are quite a lot of them.
Kim Hyun-woo spoke bitterly about his own past.
"I also went through a lot after joining Twin Entertainment. You may not know this, but I joined when I was still a student."
Even Kim Hyun-woo, who had a fair amount of talent, was worked under a schedule so brutal it bordered on cruelty by the former president.
He had come to hate acting several times in the process.
What would happen to someone like Yu Ari?
"Unless she goes somewhere with a proper president... I think it would be better for that child to debut after she becomes an adult."
Even her talent as it is now is remarkable.
But if she hones it further?
Then she'll become an even more incredible actress.
That was what Kim Hyun-woo was saying.
"What about Twin? Ms. Kang Sora and Mr. Kim Hyun-woo both belong to Twin Entertainment, don't they? You're saying you'll take her to Twin..."
"Sora noona seems to want Yu Ari to become her pupil rather than a member of Twin Entertainment..."
"Hahaha..."
"Our company... Hmm. I heard that after the former president and directors were ousted, we got a new investor."
"I see."
"But I've never even met the investor. A new president did come in at the investor's direction, though..."
In the end, wouldn't that president just move according to the investor's whims?
If that investor was only after money, they might try to suck Ari dry rather than let her talent bloom.
That was what he was thinking.
Old Man Jeong Hui-tae wasn't that kind of person.
And neither was I, despite also owning a stake in Twin.
"Then we just need to persuade the investor, right?"
"Exactly. From Twin Entertainment's perspective, having an outstanding child actor would be nothing but beneficial."
"Then can you and Ms. Kang Sora properly teach that child?"
"That... Yes. If she came to us, I mean. We could work to provide her with a proper acting teacher, as well as opportunities to gain experience."
With his and Kang Sora's connections and careers, it was more than possible.
He said it confidently.
"...If the investor approves, that is."
"I see."
I picked up my phone.
Then I pressed Old Man Jeong Hui-tae's number from my saved contacts.
-Huh? What is it at this hour? Are you bored? Good timing. The treasure we're looking for this time...
"Leave that for later, Old Man. You own a stake in Twin Entertainment, right?"
-Huh? Yeah. I told you before. I was the one who secured my stake in Twin Entertainment.
Right.
And I held nearly half of it myself.
"I found a promising talent. Can we bring that child in?"
-If you say she's promising, then she must really be promising, right? All right. I'll send the president over. But about the artifact we're investigating this time...!!
Old Man Jeong Hui-tae talked at length about the new treasure hunt once again before hanging up.
Before long, Kim Hyun-woo picked up his phone.
He said it was the new company president and began the call. A short while later, when the call ended, he looked at me with a flustered expression.
"No... You really knew the investor?"
"I was the one who authorized the purchase of Twin Entertainment shares in the first place. And I own a stake, too."
"I-investor..."
Kim Hyun-woo's behavior toward me grew even more cautious.
.
.
.
After Yu Ari left, and we'd eaten dinner and done the dishes, today's filming was over.
Of course, the cameras were still rolling, but it was practically a break.
We came out onto the wooden veranda and ate watermelon.
"We get to eat watermelon thanks to you, Teacher Kang."
"Haha. That's right. So eat up, everyone."
It was a watermelon brought over by the son of the grandmother whose house I had worked at earlier. He had returned home and brought it to thank me and apologize.
It wasn't quite right to say it was entirely thanks to me.
While I was helping the others, the other cast members had each worked, too, and gathered food for us, hadn't they?
But the mood seemed to call for that answer, so I obliged.
"Hahaha! Oh, Teacher."
"By the way, about that Ari girl. What are you going to do with her?"
"Our agency president is coming."
"Huh? Really? Twin Entertainment is fast... But didn't they change presidents?"
At Lee Bin's question, the two actors from Twin Entertainment nodded.
Then Kim Hyun-woo subtly pointed at me.
"Thanks to Teacher Kang, we were able to kick that damned president out."
"Oh... Just as expected of Teacher Kang...!!"
"Haha. He was such a piece of trash."
While we were talking, Ppuhong came over.
He was smiling awkwardly.
"All right, everyone. It's nice to kill time like this at night, but wouldn't it be better to do something rather than just play around?"
"Come on. What else are we supposed to do?"
"I have to go gather seafood on the tidal flats again at dawn tomorrow."
"I promised to work in the fields with Grandma Go again."
"Haha. I also agreed to go out on the boat with Captain Kim..."
Since everyone spoke so casually, Ppuhong grew flustered.
"No, everyone. Why are you all so good at working?"
"This much is basic."
"Could you not say things that would make the participants who've appeared up to now angry if they heard you..."
Ppuhong looked dumbfounded, then raised a finger.
"Did you know? There's a legend on this island."
"What legend?"
"I found out while researching this filming location. Did you know there's a mansion in the center of this island??"
"A mansion?"
"Yes. They say an extremely wealthy man once lived there."
Ppuhong's voice was serious.
It was a three-story mansion built by a wealthy man who came to the island after the Korean War ended.
"Why would a man that rich build a mansion on an island?"
"They call it a vacation home... but apparently he actually conducted experiments on living subjects there."
"Eek...?"
"Really...?"
Kang Sora and Kim Hyun-woo were horrified.
That was how sincere Ppuhong sounded.
"Yes. Otherwise, why would a building like that have been built on this island? In the center of the island, no less."
"Well..."
"That does make sense..."
"They say he brought people to the island, experimented on them, and had the mansion built in the center so they couldn't escape."
"Ooooo..."
"And then? And then?"
"Anyway, the experiments were discovered, and the wealthy man eventually killed himself. The mansion was shut down, too. But... apparently a problem arose."
"What problem...?"
"They say ghosts appear in that mansion."
"Oh. Oooooooo...!!"
"The ghosts of people who died unjustly appear in the mansion, and every year the islanders bring offerings there to appease them."
"Wow... That's creepy."
"So, we'd like to take on the job of bringing those offerings."
"Eek?!"
"Why would we do that...?"
"If we do it, we'll give you this!!'
What Ppuhong held out was none other than 1++-grade Korean beef.
"Uh, wait. Even if it's an abandoned building, doesn't it have an owner? Can we just go in and film there?"
"Yes. We got permission. They said we can film as long as we properly leave the offering."
"Going all the way there just to eat a piece of meat feels a little..."
"I think we could just eat what's here..."
"Yeah. There's no need to go somewhere dangerous for no reason..."
I lightly raised a hand.
"Let's do it."
"T-Teacher Kang."
"We should take something like this seriously...
"Hmm. I don't think we necessarily need to eat the meat..."
The three actors looked dubious, but I was firm.
Because...
Everything Ppuhong had said was complete bullshit.
The abandoned mansion did exist, but it had been built as a vacation home from the start and had nothing to do with human experimentation.
Naturally, there was no offering ritual, either.
The building's owner was the husband of the aunt of some big shot at the broadcasting station, so permission had been easy to obtain.
There were some people hiding inside to give us a surprise, but I had confirmed that by looking into the futures of Ppuhong and Director Jang, so there was nothing to worry about.
In other words.
It was a chance to eat 1++ Korean beef for free.
I'd be an idiot to pass it up.
"If you're scared, you can stay here and rest. I can go alone."
I said it as kindly and gently as I could,
"Who's scared?!"
"I'm not scared at all, you know?!"
"Ha! Back when I lived in the countryside, I went to places more dangerous than an abandoned hospital!!"
The actors bristled.