CH5

The ugly appearance from burns, the skin color of an Asian, and the status of being a homeless person.

Ian was a clear target of disgust, and this only intensified as he dared to look into the realm of the chosen ones.

-A beggar came into the filming site. What? An actor? Don't joke. How can we film together without feeling disgusted?!"

-I really can't do makeup for that person. How can I touch that face?

-This isn't even a monkey, just a monster.

Having lived through years amidst drug-addicted homeless people, he wasn't hurt by such words.

But it wasn't a problem that ended just because he wasn't hurt.

'It means that my presence causes trouble on the set.'

Each time, the person in charge chose the easiest solution: kicking out Ian rather than the person who caused the problem.

The more these experiences accumulated, the more Ian had to understand and act like other people.

To build even a slight favor and avoid disputes.

Recalling the days he struggled to survive as an actor, Ian saw Ben, who couldn't easily stop laughing.

Honestly, he wasn't a nice actor.

He was strict with others as much as his abilities allowed, he was bright with women, and he wasn't kind to children.

A far cry from the perfect figure who inspired him to admire actors.

'Not many people need to pretend to show a polished personality.'

He was an easy person to deal with because he didn't feel displeased with an unchildlike appearance and accepted it as it was.

Finally stopping his laughter, Ben crossed his arms and asked.

"You said it's between actors, so you're not talking about acting like an ordinary kid. Are you trying to become an actor?"

"Yes, that's the plan."

"It won't be easy… No, you'll probably do well."

There was no need to worry about a cunning guy who knew how to grasp and utilize situations quickly.

A guy who would manage to secure his own place, even if it meant hitting Hollywood bigwigs in the back of the head.

"Anyway, you're an interesting kid. Do you usually hang around here?"

"Normally? If I'm bored, I'll come. I'll keep you company for $4."

Ian, poking at the corndog listed on the menu, chatted with Ben, who was giggling, when Oliver approached.

"What's so interesting about the story you're telling?"

"Nothing much. Did you finish your story?"

"No."

"No?"

As Ben expressed surprise, Oliver shrugged.

"The kid's face needs to be out there, and they're having trouble with it. I said it wouldn't be a problem, but you know how parents are. Ah, you wouldn't know since you don't have kids."

"I may not have kids, but I do have parents, you know?"

Ben, giving a slight reprimand, looked at Ian and smirked.

"If the guardian refuses, there's nothing you can do. Why not just give up? It's better than causing trouble later… Ouch!"

"Ah, sorry! I didn't know your leg was there. Does it hurt a lot?"

Despite his apologetic words, Ian gave a look that said, 'Do you realize you're being a nuisance right now?' and Ben smirked.

Ian, hoping it hurt a lot, suddenly stood up.

"I'll go and persuade them, so just wait here quietly."

Watching Ian run towards the parents at the counter, Ben asked Oliver,

"When's the shooting day with our child actor?"

"If things go as planned, it's in four days. Why?"

"Let's invite that kid then. It'd be nice to add a heartwarming anecdote for promotion. And order corndogs for the staff here as a snack."

At Ben's words, Oliver frowned.

It wasn't that the cost of distributing corndogs was expensive, and inviting someone to the set was actually a good plan.

However, he was uneasy that Ben was the one who came up with it.

"What's the ulterior motive? A guy who detests child actors is talking about inviting a kid to the set."

After glancing at Ian, who was smiling brightly as if everything went well, Ben casually got up from his seat.

"What ulterior motive? I just liked the corndogs here. So, we're proceeding with that plan, okay?"

Oliver sighed.

No matter how suspicious it seemed, there was nothing he could do when the lead actor suggested it.

He had no choice but to comply.

***

Ian sat on the chair, swinging his feet cheerfully.

Of course, every moment spent back in the past was happy, but the joy he felt now was different.

In the store, where the smell of corndogs was stronger than usual, Chloe said with a worried look,

"Don't wander away from Mom on the set. And of course, running is out of the question."

"Don't worry. I won't do anything dangerous."

Ian felt his heart pounding.

He hadn't been able to practice acting properly since the police visit, and now he had the unexpected opportunity to see a set.

'I wonder how different the current set is from the future. Last time I saw, even the cameras were old-fashioned.'

Although it was a pity that he wasn't going as an actor, it was still something.

Just the thought of smelling the set after so long was pleasant.

While they were looking at the neatly stacked corndog packages, two sturdy men entered with a chime.

"We're from the filming team. Is this the order?"

"Yes, that's right."

After verifying the quantity of the order, the staff quickly moved the goods and said,

"If you're ready, let's move. It would be troublesome to get separate entry permissions, so it's better to just ride with us."

"Let's go."

"I'll be back, dad."

Dylan, who had been busily frying a heap of corndogs, waved them off as if to wish them well, and the two climbed into the car brought by the staff.

As they were looking out the window, Ian heard the staff seated in front talking quietly.

"Do we really need an assistant director for such a simple task?"

"The director said it's an important guest. He must have been paying attention."

Despite the comforting words, Ian detected a tone of annoyance and disregard, understanding instantly what kind of person the assistant director was.

'Clearly a political hire.'

Hollywood, with its entangled interests as complex as the rolling capital, often involves political elements.

There are requests that cannot be refused, and those hired under such circumstances are referred to as political hires.

Often chosen through connections, they might lack experience entirely and are known to cause problems due to their unprofessional attitudes.

In short, they were people not worth the effort.

Regardless of their conversation, the car entered the filming set.

The alley was set up to resemble Skid Row in LA, known for its high homeless population.

From piles of trash scattered on the ground, tents occupying the sidewalks, to graffiti messily drawn on the walls.

If it weren't for the busy staff and the absence of filming activity on cranes, it could have been mistaken for anything but a filming set.

'It's almost like a scene from home.'

It was the highest compliment a former homeless person could offer.

Unlike Ian, who scanned the set with familiar eyes, Chloe looked tense in the unfamiliar surroundings.

Noticing this, Ian firmly grabbed Chloe's hand.

"There are so many people. Aren't we short on corndogs? Maybe Dad ordered less because he was worried it would be too much for him."

"…That might be the case. Should I ask Dad to fry more?"

"We have the evening sales coming up. I bet he would beg for mercy."

As they whispered and joked, her tension seemed to ease, and a satisfied Ian led her by the hand.

"Let's hurry to where they're filming."

He was excited about what scenes they would be shooting today.

Ian's expression hardened slightly as they made their way through the crowd of staff to see the filming site.

"Sigh, how many times now?"

"I don't know."

Even without the staff's murmuring voices trying to be as inaudible as possible, the heavy atmosphere of the set weighed down on them.

Stepping into the center of the stifling air, a cold voice pierced his ears.

"Did you even read the script properly? Jack is a child abused by his father. No matter how much you want to see the protagonist as an ideal father, it doesn't make sense for him to approach without any hesitation."

"Uh, that's…"

The person spewing harsh words in front of the poorly made-up child actor was Ben.

A bitter critique without any consideration that the counterpart was just a child.

The pleasant smile seen in their last encounter was unimaginable now; this was the true nature of the actor.

Oliver, who had been making a troubled expression while looking at the child actor unable to properly respond and just bowing his head, brightened up when he saw Ian.

Snap!

"Snacks have arrived. Let's take a break and then continue! Everyone was singing about how much they wanted to try them."

Relieved sighs came from various places at Oliver's declaration.

As the staff dispersed to eat the brought corndogs, Oliver approached with an embarrassed expression.

"I'm sorry you had to see that unpleasant scene."

"What unpleasant scene? Just speaking his mind. Oh, you're here."

Greeting as if nothing had happened, Ben plopped down on a chair and pushed forward a script.

"There's nothing much to do until we resume shooting. Want to read this? Oliver, that's okay, right?"

"It's today's shooting script, so no problem."

He flipped through the thin pile of paper, not exactly remembering everything but enjoying the differences.

How absorbed must he have been in the script? As the break ended, the bustle around him resumed, and Ian looked up.

The overall atmosphere seemed to have lightened with food in their mouths, and the child actor's expression, now conversing with Oliver, appeared relatively brighter.

"Don't think too hard. Just act a bit more hesitantly than before."

"Yes!"

This time, the child actor responded with a determined face, but a shadow loomed over him.

"Just hesitating a bit won't cut it. Why not watch another kid's acting?"

"Ben! What nonsense are you spouting now! How can we change the child actor at this point?"

Oliver retorted irritably.

Finding a new child actor at this juncture was nearly impossible, and it was unlikely any newcomer would satisfy Ben's demanding taste.

At his anger, Ben pointed towards the back.

"How about letting that one give it a try? I'm not saying to completely replace the child actor, but let's just see an acting attempt."

Following Ben's pointing finger, Oliver scratched his head roughly.

He should have been suspicious from the moment Ben suggested bringing a kid on the day they were acting.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"What's wrong with giving a chance? He said his dream was to be an actor, so he wouldn't make a fool of himself. I'm also curious about his basics."

"His dream was to be an actor?"

More surprised than Oliver at Ben's words was someone else.

"Was your dream to be an actor?"

"Oh, your parents didn't know either."

Ben seemed slightly surprised that Ian hadn't told his parents but soon spoke to Ian as if it didn't matter.

"How about it? Want to give it a try? You know how good of an opportunity this is, right? If you do well, you could get into the movie as a child actor."

Ian walked up to Ben with deliberate steps.

Lifting his foot towards Ben, who was smiling as if he had expected this, Ian exclaimed,

"Ouch!"

Ian, holding his shin and bowing his head, coldly said to Ben,

"Don't talk nonsense, okay? I don't know what you see me as, but do I look like someone who steals others' opportunities?"

He had acting experience and was confident he could do better than the child actor's performance just shown.

If it were Ben, he might suggest changing the child actor after seeing his performance.

'I hate it. To do the same thing that I've been through to this kid?'

He was used to having roles taken away from him because of his disfigured face. He had been kicked out of filming sites countless times.

To make the child actor, who hasn't even fully blossomed yet, go through that terrible experience? Absolutely not.

Ian stood in front of the child actor, who was just looking around, and said,

"Listen, it's just this once."

"What do you mean?"

"Just once, I'll show you. Watch closely and follow."

With all eyes on him, Ian stepped forward and closed his eyes tightly.

The thrill of performing in front of people for the first time since his return.

Feeling a sense of freedom as if the chains were being unlocked, Ian opened his eyes.

TL/n - 

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