Chapter 40
***
Lee Bin took pride in his career as an actor.
He had started out as an unknown actor and climbed up step by step.
In dangerous scenes, he performed them himself rather than using a stunt double, showing his sincerity.
That was why he was beloved on set and by directors.
That was why he was uneasy about his son, Lee Seongjin, becoming an actor.
Of course, if he said a few words, the director, the staff, and the other actors would all go out of their way to help him.
But was that really the path to success as an actor?
So Lee Bin told his son,
"I don't mind you becoming an actor, but don't think of using your father, Lee Bin."
Work your way up from the bottom and practice thoroughly.
That's the way to become an actor.
So Lee Seongjin started from the bottom.
He started as an extra with not a single line, then worked his way up to a supporting role that only barely got one line.
For a long time, his son had suffered.
Even while living in a tiny room, he never once uttered his great-actor father's name, insisting that he would live only on the money he earned himself.
Even if it meant working part-time jobs in his spare time to earn his living expenses.
He wanted to become an actor by living through the same hardships his father had.
And that son—
"...W-what... are you saying?"
was in the hospital.
He had been told that one arm had been trapped in the vehicle and crushed beyond repair, leaving amputation as the only option.
What did that mean?
What on earth had happened?
One of the staff members, who had gone pale in the emergency room after learning that Lee Seongjin was Lee Bin’s son, explained what had happened.
It had been a dangerous scene.
The scene where two cars collided.
No matter how much preparation they had done, it was the kind of scene that should have used a stunt double.
But Lee Seongjin decided to do it himself.
It would feel more realistic that way, and using another stunt performer wouldn't necessarily make it safe.
And so the filming began.
An unexpected accident happened.
The filming car was completely wrecked, and Lee Seongjin, who had been inside, suffered serious injuries.
His left arm had been completely crushed.
"Ah... aaah...!!"
Hearing that, Lee Bin despaired.
It was because of him.
He had wanted to spare his son, who wanted to become an actor, from living a hard life like his.
He would rather have let him live safely, even if people said he had only made it thanks to his father's fame.
Or he should have opposed him becoming an actor altogether.
I did this.
I ruined my son's life.
Lee Bin cursed himself while sitting on the emergency room floor.
***
"...W-what are you saying?"
"Ask your son."
"What...?"
"By now, he should have gotten an offer for a supporting role—the role of a bank robber."
"....."
"And he’ll probably have to film a scene where, while fleeing in a car, he crashes into another car."
"That..."
"At that point, your son won't use a stunt double. That's just Lee Bin's way."
"...That accident...?"
"Yes."
Because of that accident, Lee Seongjin loses an arm.
And he lives as a broken shell of a man for the rest of his life.
Lee Bin was no different.
Thinking his son had become a broken shell because of him, he retires completely.
The downfall of father and son.
That was their future.
"Then... then what should I do?"
Should he suggest that his son not take the role?
Or should he go find the director?
Should he tell him to use a stunt double, at least?
Lee Bin hurriedly kept talking, suggesting ways to deal with it.
But... there was no proper answer.
"Your son is extremely stubborn."
No matter what Lee Bin suggested, Lee Seongjin would never change his mind.
He would do his utmost for that role, and eventually the accident would happen.
"Why...!! Th-then yes! The director! I’ll talk to the director!!"
He would ask the director to remove his son from that role.
Only then did the future change.
Into a future where Lee Seongjin despaired and became a shell of himself.
"...Why...?"
"I guess it was shocking that the father stopped his son."
Lee Bin covered his face.
"What is wrong with wanting a happy future for my son...?"
"No one said it was wrong."
It was simply that the future would turn out that way.
"Is there a way... is there no way...?"
"How about trying a different approach?"
"...Huh? What do you mean...?"
"What if we removed the car scene entirely?"
"...Is that... p-possible?"
"If we discuss it with the investors, I think it could be done somehow. Then maybe the writer or the director can adjust it."
"...True. If the investors have a say, changing one or two scenes shouldn't be difficult."
Lee Bin seemed to be thinking about how to persuade this film's investors.
So I shook my head.
"This time, you got lucky."
"Huh? Why...?"
"Yu-na."
"Are you done talking?"
"Yes."
I called Han Yu-na, who had been sipping coffee alone in the corner.
She hurried over and sat down.
"Here. We have a high-up connected to the investors right here."
"...Pardon?"
I told the puzzled Lee Bin,
"This Ms. Han Yu-na here is the heir to Saseong Group, the company investing in your son's film."
"....!!"
"So.
If I persuade Han Yu-na, changing that scene shouldn't be difficult.
Lee Bin's eyes flashed.
.
.
.
In the end, persuading Han Yu-na wasn't very difficult.
It wasn't particularly hard, nor was it burdensome.
"You think that's the right thing too, Noah?"
"It'd be better if there were no accidents. Besides, Saseong is investing in it; if something happened, there'd be bad press, wouldn't there?"
"Then I'll take care of that part."
When she nodded, Lee Bin's future changed.
Into a future where he would be congratulating his son on successfully making a name for himself as a supporting actor.
At this point, you could say he'd done all he could.
"I... I don't know how I should repay you."
"Then please come to this café often."
"...Pardon?"
"It wouldn't be bad if this became a place frequented by a household-name actor."
"...W-well, that's true. But what does this café have to do with you...?"
"Ah. A friend of mine bought this café."
Hong Si-yeon had said not long ago that she was buying a café.
This café was one of the targets too, and she bought the whole place cheaply, even hiring the owner and his daughter.
Thanks to that, I could drink the coffee of an excellent barista whenever I wanted, so from my point of view it wasn't a bad thing at all.
"Since you bought this café because of me, I should at least help it do good business."
The former owner, who was now working for a salary, hummed as he brewed coffee.
The skill was good, the taste was good, and with a national actor as a regular, it was only natural for business to do well.
Then Hong Si-yeon, as the owner of this café, would have plenty of money to take home, so it would be good if Lee Bin came often.
"Huh... if that's the case, then of course."
Even if this café's coffee tasted like muddy water, I'd obviously still be a regular.
Let alone the fact that this café's espresso was really outstanding.
If the espresso was this good, the other drinks would probably be tasty too.
"I'll bring my friends too."
"Haha. I'd appreciate that. Thank you."
"Thank you? ...I should be the one thanking you...!!"
He kept thanking me, saying that if it hadn't been for me, he might have lost his son.
Then he stood up and left.
It looked like he was going to tell his son about it.
"He doesn't seem to doubt what you say, Noah."
"He's too devoted to his child to doubt my words."
And he doesn't have the nerve to gamble his son's life just to find out whether I'm right or wrong.
I sipped my latte.
"So what brings you here today?"
It was a weekday afternoon.
Her clothes were too neat to suggest she'd taken the day off.
In other words, she must have come straight from the company.
"Nothing's wrong. I just came because I wanted to see you, Noah."
"Haha. Out of the blue? Did something bad happen?"
She sipped the coffee she held with both hands.
Rather than asking me to read her past, it seemed she needed time to sort out her words.
So I waited.
"Noah."
"Yes."
"If someone I thought was on my side was actually planning to betray me... what would you do?"
"Cut them off."
Why are you worrying about something so pointless?
Han Yu-na looked straight at me.
"At the company, there's someone who seemed to genuinely follow me."
"I see."
"But... it turns out they were one of my brother's people."
Ah. If it was Han Yu-na's brother...
That bastard who stole the rebar?
"I don't know why that guy is coming up all of a sudden, but if they're his people, shouldn't you just cut them off? Want me to tell you how to handle it?"
"I know that too."
Her expression suggested she'd already thought through how to handle it, but it didn't look very good.
"After meeting you, Noah, I started trusting people..."
It seemed that trust had been betrayed.
Ah, I see. So this young lady was here to vent about what happened at the company.
Han Yu-na didn't have anyone she could really call a friend.
In other words, there was no one she could open up to.
Seeing Han Yu-na look so dejected made me laugh.
"Let's get going."
"Huh? Why?"
"There's somewhere I want you to come with me."
"Uh... where?"
"A good place."
At my words, Han Yu-na's face warmed slightly.
.
.
.
And so, with Han Yu-na driving, the place we arrived at was...
"...Was this the good place you meant? The sea?"
"More precisely, it's a place good for fishing."
It was on the west coast, a place I'd come to several times before with the director.
"You said a good place, so I thought it was some other... kind of place..."
"What do you mean, some other... kind of place?"
Han Yu-na did not answer.
She simply turned her head away.