Novelist Running Through Time

Chapter 26

TL: KSD

When it rained, they took shelter in park pavilions or shopping malls. Fortunately, there was a small park in a nearby apartment complex, so the two hid under a tiled roof made of wood.

The boy, gazing up at the gray sky overlooking the gray city, expressed his belated curiosity.

Why dont you have a name?

The boy asked the girl, who was fixing a guitar. It was a guitar picked up from a nearby garbage dump.

Its not that I dont have a name. I just havent decided on one yet.

What do you mean?

The girl answered without taking her eyes off the guitar.

Its not that I never had a name. Ye-rim, Hae-sol, Min-ji, Bom, Ji-hye There were several. But those were just names I gave out to people at the community center or free meal services whenever I moved neighborhoods. My family called me hey, you, daughter.

Why?

It wasnt just me; everyones names changed. Night solicitors and girls in the entertainment business all use aliases. We sold water, so we changed our aliases frequently too. Eventually, we just stopped calling each other by names.

What are night solicitors and what is the entertainment business and water selling? The boy didnt know these terms, but every time he asked what they meant, the girl would smirk mischievously and dismiss him, saying it was too early for him to know.

And as if it was the most natural thing, and pitying herself for knowing such things too early, she would tease the boy for a while but then suddenly show a sad smile.

The boy hated that. So, this time, before the girl could show a sad smile, he changed the topic.

Why do you carry that guitar around if you cant even play it properly?

The guitar the girl picked up was more of a begging tool than an instrument. She would squat in crowded places with the guitar, making only ting-ting sounds.

The boy simply couldnt understand why she would carry around a guitar she couldnt play.

Thats because.

What?

People tend to throw more coins when I have a guitar, compared to when I dont.

Even if youre not playing it?

Yeah.

Why though?

Maybe because someone who appears to be doing something seems more appealing than someone doing nothing.

After finishing tuning the guitar, the girl finally looked up at the boy with a mischievous smile.

Great! Where do you want to go tomorrow?

Hmm. I want to see animals.

What kind of animals?

Cute ones.

Then lets go to the mountains!

Okay!

EP 2-Other

Baekhak Entertainment.

Baekhak Entertainment has a nickname.

Its known as the factory.

The nickname was given because it produces celebrities and works just like a factory.

Naturally, Baek Seung-won, the CEO of Baekhak Entertainment, automatically received the nickname Factory Manager.

An artist creates art, but a factory manager does business. Baek Seung-wons interest in Moon In-seop was not because of artistic insight but due to a business perspective.

That is, the reason Baek Seung-won stepped in to sort out the issue and fired Yang Sung-jun, the department head at Baekhak Publishing, was not out of consideration for Lim Yang-wooks circumstances. It wasnt because he personally cherished Moon In-seop either.

It was because of money.

It seems like a good time to start doing business.

Now that Author Moons popularity was on track and he was relatively free from controversy, there were endlessly many ways to make money using Author Moon.

An author who, despite being a primary school student, published 16 short and medium-length novels and debuted on the 9 oclock news Its impossible not to love him. Moon In-seop already had what could be called a fandom, albeit small in scale.

Baek Seung-won knew well how to expand the scope of this fandom and at the same time, make a business out of it.

Media mix.

That is, film adaptation.

Proceed.

Yes!

The moment CEO Baek Seung-won snapped his fingers, the factory employees, who were only waiting for his command, started moving like machines, adhering to a precisely defined process.

Which novel should be adapted into a film?

Cause of Death, which became famous through Gu Hak-juns review.

How long should the movie be?

A short film, to be released before the issue cools down.

And the shooting?

Mobilize our own production team and start cranking up immediately.

What about casting?

To market it as a meeting of young geniuses, choose the most famous among our child actors.

Make it happen by next month.

Sir, even for a short film, that schedule is too tight.

You have one month.

But, but.

One month.

Yes.

Of course, CEO Baek Seung-won knew.

That this meant there would be no room to care for the quality of the work.

But does putting effort guarantee quality?

Does mobilizing experts to accurately adapt a novel into a film, hiring famous actors, refining the script, and increasing the number of filming staff ensure that the movie will make a profit beyond its break-even point?

No.

Although Baek Seung-won is doing business in this field, the essence of the entertainment industry is art. And art is not about numbers. It depends on peoples hearts. Hearts are fickle.

In other words, box office success is random.

Then, isnt it beneficial to produce as much as possible?

Of course, the CEOs of competing entertainment companies point fingers at Baek Seung-wons philosophy.

-A CEO from a suit background, who knows nothing about art, is muddying the waters in this field, relying only on the backing of a large corporation!

And Baek Seung-won answers like this.

-Whats that? I cant quite hear the words of small business CEOs who have a lower market cap than me.

Baekhak Entertainment, led by Baek Seung-won, was performing well enough for the main Baekhak Group to comfortably keep a distant family member as its CEO.

It means theyre making a lot of money. So, within Baekhak Entertainment, CEO Baek Seung-wons philosophy is considered the light and the truth.

Therefore, the production site of the movie Cause of Death was also economically and rationally organized.

This meant that the set was shabby, and the staff wandered around like zombies.

Two people arrived at such a set.

Lim Yang-wook and Moon In-seop.

* * *

Its somewhat different from what I expected.

Lim Yang-wook could automatically tell what Moon In-seop had left unsaid. The atmosphere of the shooting site and the quality were definitely not a pleasant sight.

Whats going on?

Sweat dripped down Lim Yang-wooks sleek head.

This means that the strategy of <showing Author Moon the process of his novel being made into a movie to get him interested in activities in the entertainment industry> becomes pointless.

The following strategies, <subtly introducing him to variety shows for movie promotion> and the <project to make Author Moon a big shot in the entertainment industry>, also face difficulties.

Just wait here for a moment! Ill find out whats going on and come back!

Saying so, Lim Yang-wook went to find the director and started talking with a serious expression.

Moon In-seop was left standing alone in the middle of the shooting site. The boy scratched his head with an awkward expression.

Excuse me.

He stopped one of the passing zombies. It was a zombie staggering with a camera as big as its own body.

Where is the lounge?

I dont know I want to rest too

Mumbling something incomprehensible, the zombie just passed by. What was he supposed to do?

The boy set out to find the lounge himself. It would have been nice if someone had recognized him and offered help, but not everyone knows who the CEO is, let alone Moon In-seop.

Fortunately, since this was the Cause of Death shooting site, someone recognized the original author. A mid-level staff member allowed the boy to stay in the waiting room. Even that was with a lukewarm attitude, knowing but not a fan.

Yes. Well. You can stay over there.

Thank you.

The boy opened the door of the room marked Waiting Room with a white paper attached by a permanent marker. Being short, he had to raise his hand high to turn the doorknob.

A little head peeked through the slightly opened door crack.

Inside, there was someone, but the words Excuse me couldnt escape his mouth.

The boy froze solid as ice.

Whats this?

Because a woman, looking as venomous as a viper, had sharply turned her head to glare at him.

The boy felt like a mouse in front of a viper.

And for good reason.

Because she was wearing a school uniform.

!

He shuddered! It wasnt his body trembling, but a fear that his soul remembered!

In-seop was weak against girls in school uniforms. Not in a romantic sense, but in a physical sense.

The reason for this is well, its indescribable.

For reference, he becomes even more withdrawn if they wear heavy makeup, smoke cigarettes, shorten their skirts, or look tough.

The reason for this is well, its indescribable.

Anyway, the girl in front of him fit all the criteria except for smoking. She even looked a bit like she might smoke.

But his intimidation was only momentary. It was just a brief flinch from recalling unpleasant memories. The boy was about to regain his composure and open his mouth to politely greet her.

But the girl was faster.

What are you? Dont you greet people?

!

Arent you supposed to greet your senior when you see one?

Trauma switch. On.

Hello! Senior!

The boys waist bent at a 90-degree angle.

* * *

So! Its really too much! This company!

Yes.

Look at it now. They say it was last week, but just three days ago they threw at us a script, and on the day of shooting, they add another actor. Is that normal? Anyway, these writers treat actors like script printers! Right? Isnt that so?

Thats right.

Haah. It really suffocates me to think that a young kid like you has entered this tough path of a child actor. They praise you as a genius or whatever just because a kid can squeeze some tears out, but you need to know. Thats not acting! Its just crying!

Moon In-seop was sitting modestly next to Kim Byul, listening to what acting is? What philosophy should a child actor have? And so on for quite a while.

Just as a signifier moves towards a signified, acting must move towards mimesis. How? By continually honing and refining technical techniques. Its a kind of cultivation. But method acting? Theres none of that! What technique does it have? Isnt it just self-hypnosis? Right, its garbage.

Yes.

But why do people who dont even understand acting keep talking about method acting? I really dont get it! Isnt it just moving around intoxicated with self-delight, not even knowing what theyre doing? Why is that considered superior to people who have honed their acting?

Yes.

Youre being shuffled around because you can squeeze out some tears, right? Everyone around you is calling you a genius, but if you stop there, its really the end. You might as well quit early! And dont believe what adults say! Youre not a genius! So, you need to study! Effort is much more important than talent, got it?

Yes.

And you know what? When I went to LA for a location shoot.

Listening to stories he barely understood for dozens of minutes was dizzying.

How did it end up like this?

Surely, the first meeting was very impressive. Literally, the impression was intense.

-Just kidding, just kidding! Why are you so nervous when I told you to greet?

-Is, is that so?

When someone glares, they may look as venomous as a viper, but the moment they relax their expression and smile, they suddenly become as gentle as a rabbit.

A novelist who lacks material is always looking for inspiration by observing others. I realized she had a very characteristic way of expressing emotions compared to ordinary people.

It went beyond personal characteristics, approaching a level of trained skill. She was an intriguing person whose exaggerated gestures were ingrained in her actions.

As I was lost in thought, she snatched away the blanket.

Do you like that blanket?

I-Ill give it to you!

And thus began the investigation by the self-proclaimed senior, Kim Byul, who had taken my knee blanket.

How old are you?

Sixth grade.

13 years old? Which agency are you with? Baekhak?

Yes.

Hmm. So youre a junior from the same company?

It was around this time that she started treating me more warmly.

What about your parents? Where are they?

Excuse me?

Arent they at the filming site?

No.

Why? Are they busy?

Not particularly. Just.

Tsk. Still, sending a kid to the filming site alone, huh.

Kim Byul clicked her tongue slightly, then with a somewhat softened demeanor, tapped the seat next to her on the sofa.

Come sit here. Ill tell you a good story.

And so, 30 minutes passed.

Kim Byul unleashed an endless stream of stories, like a dam had burst.

She started with complaints about the company, which operated half-haphazardly despite being a large corporation, to stories about CEO Baek Seung-wons personality being not just blunt but bordering on hysterical.

There were grievances about stalkers and malicious commenters, criticisms of inconsiderate producers, and from theories of acting to lamentations about the reality where method acting is regarded as first-rate.

The conclusion was this:

Dont act.

?

Just dont!

It seemed that actress Kim Byul, for some reason, disliked acting.

After venting her stress for a while, Kim Byul finally seemed to take an interest in me, who had been used as an emotional trash can.

She pointed to the notebook tucked beside me.

Whats that?

I-Ill give it to you.

No need!

She retorted, taking my notebook and starting to read it with a Hoo of interest.

Whats this? A script? Why does this script read like a novel?

Its actually a novel.

But no answer came back.

Kim Byul was already engrossed in my book with a serious expression. That expression gave off a different vibe from before.

She looked like an actress who had just received a script. Of all the behaviors I had observed, this seemed the most genuine.

* * *

Outside, the sounds of the filming site could be heard faintly. In the waiting room, apart from that, there was silence, only the sound of breathing and the rustling of pages being turned.

How much time had passed?

Kim Byul put the book down and said:

Its a road movie?

A road movie?

Yes. Like Kikujiro, Little Miss Sunshine, Bonnie and Clyde.' (TL: All these are real movies)

Whats that?

You dont know? How about Suzume? (TL: Suzume Anime)

That too, Im not really sure

Man, this! Hey! How can you be an actor if you dont watch movies!

I havent had the luxury to go watch movies in my life

Wow!

Kim Byul was as shocked as when someone says they dont mix intestines in their pork soup.

Moon In-seop tried to calm Kim Byuls anger by waving his hands and explaining.

I may not know movies, but I know what a road movie is.

Oh? Tell me what it is.

Its a narrative that focuses not on the destination, but on the journey to it.

Pass.

Kim Byul, as a (self-proclaimed) senior, gave Moon In-seop a passing grade on his understanding of the genre. Then she evaluated the story contained in the notebook she was holding.

This. Its a decent road movie.

Is it?

Yeah. Ive seen lots of scripts and movies, you know? So now I absolutely dont cry. But this one got me a bit teary at the end.

Moon In-seop, caught by the term teary, inquired in detail.

Which part made you feel teary?

Uh, well, its

Kim Byul strained her brain, trying to squeeze out a critique. Though confident in acting, she wasnt strong in criticism. However, she couldnt show her inferior side in front of a junior, so she mobilized all her knowledge to come up with a critique.

The two travelers are complete opposites, arent they? The girl has no name, no parents, and no place to return to, while the boy has a name, parents, a home, everything. The wandering of these two children through the city had a certain feel to it.

And then?

Both kids are young, right? So, the way they describe our everyday lives through the eyes of children was unique. How many contradictions there are in the life that adults pass by without a second thought. It was a bit like travelers wandering through the Middle Ages while looking at the stars.

Uh-huh. Good. And then?

And then? Well, the girl, despite being from a runaway family and in the worst situation, is free and happy, while the boy, who is in a normal situation after running away, is unfree and unhappy. This contrast makes you think about where happiness comes from. What makes a person truly free? I didnt realize this while reading, but now that Im talking about it, it came to me. But why doesnt the girl have a name?

Moon In-seop responded to Kim Byuls musing.

Because a name is something given by others.

What?

A name signifies a person, like the title of a novel. But she has no one to give her a name, no nest, no roots, so she has no name. But conversely, it means the girl is trying to build her own nest and life from scratch, making her own name, so she is already in a state close to completion as a human being. The girl without a name has dreams. Thats why she is free.

Really?

Of course, theres no such person. So the girl is somewhat of an abstract character. An almost utopian figure. So when the boy looks at the girl, he sees someone who has what he lacks. Someone incomplete seeing someone complete. Because the boy is ordinary. Like us.

Huh.

And, it might be hard to see this as a road movie because the two have different destinations. For the boy, this is a deviation, a journey before returning home, but for the girl, wandering is her everyday life, her existence. Why? Just because she was born that way.

Moon In-seop returned to the initial question.

At which moment of these two intersecting lives did you feel touched?

Kim Byul was a bit frightened by the boys gleaming eyes pressing towards her.

Whats with this kid? His gaze is strange. Kim Byul leaned back with an awkward posture and responded.

Im not sure?

You dont know? Why?

Well. Being touched is just being touched. Anyway, go over there. Dont stick too close.

Only then did Moon In-seop realize he had been leaning too close to Kim Byul.

The boy regained his composure and straightened his posture.

My apologies. Anyway, it was a satisfactory answer. This novel has a certain moment unique to it that cannot be found in other novels?

Kim Byul answered hesitantly.

Yeah. I was a bit touched by the last scene.

How was that touching? Was it good?

Well. It was good.

Then thats enough.

Kim Byul suddenly realized she had been completely wrapped up in the pace of the boy in front of her.

Before showing her bafflement, there was a question she needed to ask first.

But who wrote this?

I did.

Ah, come on! Dont lie.

Kim Byul laughed, telling him not to joke.

Moon In-seop looked at her with an expressionless face.

In the silence that followed, Kim Byuls smile gradually faded.

You wrote it, didnt you?

Didnt you?

* * *

After finishing the conversation with Lim Yang-wook, the director opened the door to the waiting room.

The director smiled upon seeing the two people in the waiting room.

Ah! Its great to see the original author and our actor together! Having two young geniuses together makes for a wonderful scene! Actually, for the promotion, were planning to pair you two together, so its good to get acquainted early.

The director looked back and forth between the two, sitting at opposite ends of the waiting room.

Have you two had a lot of conversations?

Moon In-seop answered.

Yes.

Kim Byul answered, her face reddening, almost on the verge of tears.

Yes, yes, we did.

****

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