CH18

The sound of frying in oil filled the narrow food truck. 

The heated oil temperature and the hot summer weather met to expel suffocating heat. 

"I'm dying! I'm definitely going to die like this!" 

"I came here to shoot a variety show, not a documentary." 

Preparing ingredients, they stuck cheese and sausages on sticks, coated them in batter, and fried them. 

As they screamed, the variety show members realized how efficient Ford's assembly line, implemented long ago, was. 

Sweat poured like rain, and their backs ached. 

They didn't even notice the accumulating bundles of dollars. 

"This isn't the scene I had in mind." 

As one lamented, the others agreed. 

"Right! It would be so nice to buy hot dogs, ask 'Where are you from?' and look around while enjoying a cool cup of coffee!" 

"I want to see Central Park! Why can't we see it when it's right in front of us?" 

New York is the city with the most tourists in the Americas. 

Especially in summer, Long Beach is crowded with people, but there's no time for tourism. 

A lively child's voice cut through the air without a moment's breath. 

"Two cheese corndogs, three potato corndogs, please!" 

"Aaah, who complained about not having customers? Was it you?!" 

"It was you, too!" 

"I curse my past self!" 

The members, who exaggerated their complaints in true variety show fashion, looked at Ian, who was taking orders, with amazement. 

They thought it was a completely failed project until this child came. 

After all, it's just curiosity at best, with no business happening. 

'I didn't think it would make a difference even if this child actor came.' 

He's not a famous star, and the drama hasn't even aired yet. 

A child actor in a drama, impressive as it may be, wasn't thought to help attract customers. 

The initial excitement was just for securing broadcast content. 

"Wow! I'm totally into dramas these days. That's really cool. When does it air?" 

"At the end of September. The title is Invisible Children, and it's a drama about zombies." 

"Zombies! I'll definitely watch it." 

"But you're really handsome. It's no wonder you're in a drama. Our store might get more customers." 

Though said with a smile at the first meeting, it was actually an empty hope.

"We should be frying corndogs diligently now. You might regret it later." 

They took this meaningful smile as a joke at the time. 

'Who would have thought they actually made a blockbuster call?' 

They had heard about Ben Roberts' connection but didn't know they were close enough for a phone call to lead to SNS promotion. 

Consequently, they had to become a corndog frying factory without a moment's rest. 

"Ian! Ian, aren't you tired?" 

"Huh?"

Ian shrugged his shoulders while taking orders and joking with customers. 

"Not really. It's fun since it's my first time doing this." 

"Are you sure you're okay?" 

"Yes, I've always wanted to try serving customers." 

Ian swallowed the bitterness in his mouth. 

Serving customers? 

No one would entrust the face of the store to Ian, whose appearance was marred by burns. 

Not just serving, but even in the kitchen, where customers couldn't easily see him, complaints led to him being kicked out. 

'There's still so much I haven't tried.' 

He was happy to realize that, despite living for decades, there was still much to fill.

It means there will be more moments that make your heart flutter if you live as you are now.

How focused must he have been on work? 

It felt like the time to wrap up a day's shooting was slowly approaching.

A youthful voice rang out.

"Pryce!"

Ian, who had turned his head, looked surprised.

"Huh? You are?"

"It's Nathan Greenberg. Do you remember meeting at the Sucker Punch filming site?"

"Of course. I never expected to meet you here. Did the shooting go well?"

"Thanks to you! I really enjoyed this corndog on set too!"

Meeting Nathan in New York, a place only about a six-hour flight away, was beyond his wildest dreams.

"How did you know to come here? You didn't come alone, did you?"

"I saw Mr. Roberts' SNS and came with my grandfather."

Following Nathan's gesture, Ian turned his head and his eyes widened.

It was someone who made you think, 'Why are you here?'

"Ahem, do you recognize me? The kids these days don't know much about me."

"Of course, I do. You're Director Isaac Greenberg. I've seen a lot of your movies?"

He had made a variety of movies centered around themes of anxiety and loneliness and was one of New York's representative directors.

'I thought he had already passed away from a heart attack when I came to New York.'

He had regretted not being able to meet him, but to meet him like this was unexpected.

Isaac, seeing the genuinely happy face, placed his hand on his grandson's head.

"Don't you think the content is heavy and not fun for kids? 

This guy hasn't properly watched one of my movies."

"But it's really not fun. There's not even a scene that's hugely exciting."

Despite his grandson's complaints, Isaac looked simply happy, making Ian realize something.

'Maybe he made a movie in Hollywood in his later years because of his grandson.'

Despite receiving numerous love calls from Hollywood, he had been a director who only made small art films.

He made a Hollywood movie only once in his late years, and there were various rumors about why the veteran had broken his stubbornness.

But now, the reason seemed simpler than expected.

Having resolved a long-standing question, Ian said in a cheerful tone.

"Since we've met like this here, I'll take care of it!"

"No, you can't just get it for free."

"It's okay. There's also an employee discount, right?"

At Ian's question, the members frying corndogs huddled together with serious faces.

"The English is too fast; I don't understand what he's saying."

"I think I heard something about a discount. Did we have something like that?"

"When in doubt, there's only one answer."

After a brief consultation, a member made a circle with their fingers.

"Okay!"

When in doubt, just smile and say ok.

Ian glanced at the camera and shrugged his shoulders with a mischievous look.

"Right?"

At that moment, no one knew that this would lead to the members suspecting each other over lost revenue.

Of course, the culprits at the broadcasting station were just applauding.

***

As the sun set and twinkling lights adorned the city, Ian walked a step ahead of Isaac.

Juilliard School, New York Philharmonic, American Ballet Theater, Metropolitan Opera, etc.

Places that belonged to names one might have heard at least once.

At the heart of New York's Lincoln Center, the world's largest comprehensive arts performance center, a fountain burst forth, capturing light in its spray.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Symphonies, plays, dances, operas, education, theaters.

It was a place rightfully called the heart of New York's art scene.

"It's a pity we just missed the New York Film Festival. Could have seen it if we were a bit later."

"It's not just this year. It'd be even better to come not just as an audience but as a participant."

Isaac looked down at Ian, who did not hide his ambition for the prestigious film festival that introduced various independent and art films.

"Your voice."

"Huh?"

"Your voice is really good. It's powerful, even though you're still young."

Was it different for someone who had spent their life making films?

It was quite surprising that, after talking for so long, he pointed out the voice over anything else.

"When people scream together, some voices are speech, and others are noise. Maybe a different job would suit that voice better."

"Like a politician?"

"Yes, a powerful voice has a way of drawing people in."

Isaac shared a moment of eye contact with Ian and then smiled broadly.

"It seems we won't lose a great actor to the political world. So, you're filming a drama now?"

"It premieres at the end of September."

"End of September, huh."

Isaac smiled, thinking it was an interesting coincidence.

It was exactly when the New York Film Festival was happening—a time when people wandering around looking for something interesting could be quite bothersome.

Glancing back, he saw his grandson talking with Chloe.

"Make sure to watch the drama you're in, since there's someone more interested in it than in their own movie."

"I'm not sure if it'll be to their taste."

"As you age, your taste buds dull, so you have to try a variety of things. I'm always open to something new."

Isaac gently patted Ian on the shoulder.

He felt the voice was special but didn't yet know how well Ian could act. He couldn't entirely trust his grandson's exaggerations.

However, he left advice for Ian, who strongly wished to survive as an actor.

"Being in the spotlight isn't always happy. There are media and people who nitpick and bite at you, and garbage that won't hide their hatred based on skin color. There are too many maggots in this world attracted to light."

The veteran, having seen much over the years, did not hide his disdain.

He had seen too many shining talents rot away due to greed and jealousy.

"If it gets tough, don't hesitate to ask for help around you. If necessary, you can even come to me."

"Should I think of it as paying you back for the corndog earlier?"

"What?"

Laughing at Ian's joke, Isaac nodded.

"Yes. It's always best to be clear with accounts."

"What are you two talking about, having so much fun?"

Nathan, popping up suddenly to ask, received a mischievous smile from Isaac.

"What to do? It seems this grandfather has become closer to the boy than my own grandson."

"What?! No way! Right? I'm closer, aren't I?"

Ian nodded towards Isaac, who mouthed 'Please be close to him.' from behind Nathan, sticking to him.

Building a connection with a renowned director was a small price to pay.

Isaac looked at the boy talking with his only grandson. 

A special sprout that had helped his grandson. 

He felt an urge to give a slight push to someone else's business for the first time in a while.

Even late at night, the filming staff were constantly on the move.

Just checking the filming equipment for tomorrow's shoot and inspecting the condition of the food truck after a long day was enough to keep them busy.

Reviewing the footage shot was an indispensable task as well.

"Is tomorrow the last day of filming for Ian?"

"His schedule is so tight that he could only give us two days. What can we do?"

Producer Seong-won also watched the footage, filled with regret.

It was heartbreaking to let him go when he had been such a great help.

"PD, I get why you're calling him corndog boy. But do you know what dropkick boy is?"

"Ah, that."

Among the guests who greeted Ian warmly, there were those who used nicknames like Dropkick Boy and Rolling Boy, asking when he would debut in professional wrestling.

Seong-won was curious and asked Ian directly.

"It's because of this article."

– The amazing 10-year-old boy who caught a robber!

– Dropkick boy shocks the court!

There was a large photo of him jumping off a roof and delivering a dropkick to an armed robber.

The staff were speechless after reading the article.

"…Is this real?"

"It's real. Including this story in the video would get a good reaction, right?"

"Are you serious? How could you keep this interesting fact to yourself?!"

Seong-won just laughed off the scolding.

It was his timid revenge for the nagging he had received before Ian's arrival.

Despite their tired bodies, the staff's mood was upbeat as they discussed how to edit the footage.

Meanwhile, one of the staff urgently called for Seong-won.

"PD! PD!"

"What's up?"

"About Ian. He said he does YouTube, right?"

"That's right."

He had heard that Ian was posting videos teaching Korean on YouTube.

'Weren't the views not that great?'

After all, how many people would be interested in learning Korean? 

The person in question didn't seem too bothered, considering it a hobby.

It was fine even if it wasn't popular. 

Emphasizing his effort to promote the Korean language, which is his mother tongue, would make a good story.

"What's all the fuss about? Is there a problem?"

"Not a problem, but look at this."

Seong-won looked at the screen the staff member handed him.

"Weren't you saying it didn't get many views?"

Seong-won checked the number on the video.

He rubbed his eyes as if he had seen something strange and looked again.

"Huh? I thought the views were low."

…Why are they high?

TL/n - 

You can read 

I'm an Actor (up to Chapter 44+)

I was hoping you could support me on my Patreon at p@treon.com/inkbound 

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