Chapter 236

Do you have me in mind?

Of course…

He hesitated as he began to speak.

Memories of Lim Joowon flooded my mindfrom the day I first met him on a variety show and suggested he join W&U, to when I brought him into my team.

There weren’t many memories. He hadn’t been particularly outstanding.

Looking back, that was the case.

Although Lim Joowon’s recent dramas had performed well, that was all.

They couldn’t compare to Cat Guardian Ghost, which turned Seo Jijoon into a Hallyu star overnight, or City Jungle, which won a trophy at the Cannes Film Festival and was a huge success domestically.

These were the works that could change an actors life…

The result was as it was.

I had been a bastard.

I should have been more aware, not just focused on what was right in front of me.

Im sorry. I was short-sighted. I didnt intentionally exclude Mr. Joowon or ignore him on purpose. Never.

I thought I had become quite articulate in my work life. But now, I dont even know what to say. Each word creaks out of my mind like its broken.

Well, if thats the case, its a relief.

Lim Joowon glanced at me, propping his chin.

Its been hectic lately, and I keep hearing irritating things… So I just spoke frankly this time. Remember, a crying child gets more cake.

Having spilled his heart, Lim Joowon seemed somewhat relieved.

Good works. Good works, indeed.

Suddenly, a script lying in the corner of the sofa caught my eye.

That

Doctor 25 Hours.

It was the project I had chosen for Lim Joowons next work. A medical drama, somewhat sophisticated and weighty, whose first part of the script I had meticulously reviewed.

The script? I couldnt sleep, so I was flipping through it.

Do you like it?

Lim Joowon turned sharply towards me.

I do! Actually, I was about to say this was my favorite script Ive read recently, but then I decided to wait because I knew Manager had his eye on it

Lim Joowon swallowed dryly and clutched the script to his chest.

What about you, Manager? This?

I saw his face tensed with anticipation.

While Seo Jijoons hotly anticipated projects were his first choice, Lim Joowon was a bit awkward. Though he was consistently the protagonist, he was second or third choice after the first-choice actor turned it down.

Doctor 25 Hours was third in line for him.

The first choice, an actor who had done medical dramas twice, declined because being typecast was burdensome. The second-choice actors schedule conflicted. Then came Lim Joowon.

The script was excellent.

It was the debut work of writer Kim Kyungsoo, who had been an assistant under the well-known writer Kong Mihee. Uncharacteristically for a newcomer, it was highly polished.

After just the initial scripts, IBC quickly decided to schedule it.

I had planned to finalize this with Lim Joowon after a proper consultation.

Future foresight had been wreaking havoc these past few days.

What? How was it?

Me too

I exhaled shortly.

This is a good work. Really. Theres no reason to hesitate.

Lim Joowon looked uneasy, almost anxious.

I thought it was fine. This drama, certainly,

Is it ending early?

Damn.

I watched as familiar noises overlaid the scene.

At this point, might as well fuck it up as much as possible.

Is there another drama that ended early like this? Isnt Doctor 25 Hours the first? A drama that will make history. And Im the lead?

The same dim lighting, the same striped pajamas.

But instead of a bottle of rejuvenator, Lim Joowon held a bottle of alcohol.

An early ending?

Was there an accident? It couldnt be an early ending without one.

Disheartened, I opened my mouth.

Up to episode 6, it seems writer Kong Mihee was attached to check, no, not just check, almost like she wrote half of it.

What?

It was such nonsense that my brain buffered trying to comprehend.

No, why? Why did she do that? Why write someone elses script?

They were dating.

Then from episode 7

They broke up.

Ridiculous. Isnt this a scam?

Lim Joowon muttered with a dumbfounded face.

Why am I so unlucky?

Right. Its absurd.

Unlucky too.

Is it okay? Then shall I do this drama?

As soon as he popped out of Future Vision, I met Lim Joowons gaze again.

In it, hope and desire exploded like fireworks.

It looked fine

I knew it. I had a feeling just looking at it

.

Lim Joowon lifted the script of Doctor 25 Hours like a treasure. He looked happy. I just couldnt bring myself to tell him to throw it away, knowing it was a drama destined for an early end.

Really, it was a terrible thing to do.

Still.

I barely managed to speak.

Should we consider it a bit more, us?

What?

We should also check if there are any external issues with the work. Itd be terrible to finish filming and then have an accident.

Lim Joowon clutched the script again.

If there are no issues, we decide on this?

If there are no issues.

Itll be fine. I cant be that unlucky.

can I?

***

I arrived at work early, just as I had on my first day, before the sunrise.

In the dark, quiet office, I wanted some time alone to think.

A constant red warning light flashed in my mind. It was a precarious moment. All my nerves were stretched tight like a bowstring, ready to snap at any moment.

I needed to get things organized.

I searched for a pen and jotted down a few titles on a notepad.

Titles mentioned by a YouTuber: “Hong Gildong”, “Salt”, “Spy”, and “Doctor 25 Hours.”

These were projects doomed to fail.

Tapping the pen on the titles, it seemed even more absurd laid out like this.

Who would have expected it?

“Hong Gildong” is a major release from World Art Pictures for the Chuseok holiday season. It’s a huge project. They’ve already started pouring out promotional materials. It looks like a lot of people will be depressed over the holiday.

“Salt” is a blockbuster set to release next year.

With a production budget of 22 billion and a famous director, it’s an expected hit with a star-studded cast.

And to think, these could be disasters in the film industry?

How could this happen?

Well, there are cases like “Spy” and “Doctor 25 Hours.”

Even movies with great scripts and huge budgets can fail.

A film could fail due to a director’s hike, an actor’s mishap, a natural disaster, bad luck, or countless other reasons. No one can be sure whether a project will succeed or fail until it is released.

Without seeing the future.

The future…

Thankfully, my foresight allowed me to pull my actors out of a minefield. But seeing a future filled with the failures of the projects I chose felt more horrifying than I could imagine.

After much deliberation, these were the best choices among many projects.

If I hadn’t seen the future, Seo Jijoon would have joined “Spy.” Im Joowon would have filmed “Doctor 25 Hours.” Both would have been disasters.

And the other projects…

Was it a bad day or not?

What’s the issue with the clamshell with rice?

A palindrome, no, where can you find a less complicated thriller?

It felt like every time I was about to make a selection, my foresight urgently dissuaded me. They were worse than “Cat Guardian Ghost” or “City Jungle.” Even if they didn’t fail, they couldn’t achieve tremendous success.

So it told me not to waste time on such insignificant things.

If it’s going to be like this moving forward…

It would be better to just show me successful projects like before.

That’s when it hit me.

As if dawn broke, light flooded in front of my eyes.

The natural light was so bright it was almost blinding.

The space felt unreal, completely isolated from reality, yet everything I could see, hear, and touch was incredibly real.

It seemed like a place that could hold all the answers.

“Speaking of which,” Director Park said, her lips curved into a smirk, her black lipstick prominent.

“If you could go back twenty years, which projects would you want to give to your actors? There must be some you coveted.”

My heart stopped for a moment, then raced.

What was this?

Was the timing just a coincidence, or…

“There are several from around twenty years ago that come to mind,” I mused.

The feel of the fountain pen slowly rolling between my fingers gnawed at my nerves. My emotions swung wildly like a haunted seesaw.

“That one. ‘Accomplice,’ a film by Director Lee Changin.”

Ah, Director Park and Reporter Song both gasped.

Director Park furrowed her sophisticated brows.

“That was really good. The response was phenomenal. But it’s a shame the lead was Bae Myungjin, as people who enjoyed it before can’t rewatch it. Those who haven’t seen it feel uneasy about it.”

Bae Myungjin?

A well-established actor, a name suddenly popping up.

Reporter Song chimed in.

“I watched ‘Accomplice,’ but kept thinking about the Bae Myungjin case. It was hard to concentrate. No matter how entertaining, having a real criminal who served time as the protagonist of a crime movie is a bit much. There were so many victims…”

A criminal?

“It makes you wonder what crimes the masterpieces buried because of Bae Myungjin committed. He’s a good actor and shot to fame with ‘Accomplice,’ then continued to pick up good projects. People like that shouldn’t have been given a chance in the first place.”

Regret filled their voices.

Director Park added, “They should remake ‘Accomplice’ with a different lead. It’s too good a film to be buried because of the actor.”

“Indeed,” I nodded.

“It’s such a waste of a good work.”

Then everything went dark again. Reality.

The blinds

 filtered the morning light dimly coming through,

I ran my hands through my hair.

Sorting out the doomed projects, revealing the successful ones.

And even kindly suggesting projects that seem so safe they couldn’t possibly cause trouble.

This is fun.

I slumped in my chair, completely drained.

At least one thing is certain.

The future wants me to keep succeeding.

It’s as if it’s whispering in my ear.

You must not fail.

“…”

I had been sprawled out for quite some time. Then, as the soft sunlight of early autumn began to filter through the window and the noise of the office staff arriving at work could be heard from beyond the door, I sat up straight.

So, where might the film “Accomplice” be now?

It’s the first time I’ve heard this title.

Has the screenplay been written? Or is it still just a synopsis? An idea?

Has casting been done?

Who was the director mentioned?

Lee Changin?

—————

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