Chapter 56:
3rd stage goal achievement rate: 15.4%
Yooil, glancing at the goal achievement rate of 15.4%, raised his head upon hearing his name called.
"Yooil, are you okay?"
"Of course."
Yooil was walking to Bosingak with Jin Hayoung to hear the New Year's Eve bell.
It was past 11 PM. The area around Bosingak was already bustling with people.
We would have had trouble finding parking if we were any later.'
Han Yooil and Jin Hayoung walked on, wrapped up in thick scarves.
"By the way, youve worked hard this year too, our Yooil. Must have been tough managing both work and school, right?"
"No, it was okay."
It was manageable.
More than he had expected.
It seemed like he might not get the national scholarship next semester but the recent commercial signing fee should be enough to cover the tuition fees for Wolmyeong University.
Im relieved I can graduate without borrowing money from my aunt.'
Even before he stepped into acting, he had heard that advertisements, not acting, were the main source of income for actors. Yooil realized anew that it was true.
It was thanks to the settlement money he received a few days ago. Han Yooil was surprised when he checked his bank account.
The contracts with GINBERG and Vitatalk Seven were both for one year. Even after taxes, the amount was well over a hundred million won.
It was the first time such a large amount of money had been deposited into his account, so it didnt feel real.
"Ive been thinking, Aunt that"
"Yooil. Ive told you several times, but I like my house and car as they are now. I can live well enough without your income. You know that, right?"
Preemptively shut down again.
Yooil gave up on persuading Jin Hayoung and closed his mouth.
"Look, Yooil! It seems theyve already started on stage."
Yooil, hearing Jin Hayoung's excited voice, checked his hat and mask again.
He felt a bit embarrassed, as if he was making a fuss alone, but following Brions advice made him feel more at ease.
"But Aunt."
"Hmm?"
"When did you start wanting to come here? Weve always spent the New Year at home I didnt know you were interested in such places."
Yooil had never been to a festival with large gatherings of people.
Whether it was fireworks, cherry blossom viewing, or any festival, it was always the same.
"I thought we should come at least once. When you were young, I didnt want to disturb a student's studies
Jin Hayoung hesitated for a moment before speaking up.
"You said that once. That you wanted to go see it with your mom and dad."
He couldn't remember.
Jin Hayoung continued with a smile.
"You don't remember, do you?"
"Not at all."
"Well you were young then."
Yooil walked slowly, following the crowd.
The voices of people looking forward to the New Year and the voices of singers performing on stage echoed. Jin Hayoung and Yooil stepped aside to avoid the incoming crowd.
That's when it happened.
Someone stepped in front of Yooil.
"Huh?"
A thin voice flowed out.
Yooil reflexively turned his head. A short-haired girl with sparkling eyes was visible.
Her appearance seemed at most a high school student.
Yooil, worried he might have stepped on her, looked down.
But then.
"Are you Yooil?"
"!"
Yooil froze on the spot.
How did she recognize me?'
He was wearing a hat and a mask.
It was unclear how she had recognized him.
"Omg!"
In the meantime, the short-haired girl clasped her hands over her mouth.
"Amazing!"
Yooil quickly scanned the surroundings.
It wouldn't matter if this place were a school or somewhere else. But this was a place crowded with numerous people. There was a risk of an accident happening.
There dont seem to be any people within a 100m radius keeping an eye on you.
That was somewhat of a relief.
Yooil whispered, keeping his head down.
"I'm sorry, but I'm here personally with my family today Could you pretend you don't know me just for today?"
The short-haired girl's eyes sparkled as she nodded her head.
"Sure! I will!"
"Hey! Yum~ where are you?"
Yum,' the student who was called, moved her steps to not fall behind her friends. Even while walking away, she kept looking back at Yooil, seemingly concerned about him.
Seeing this, Yooil couldn't help but smile softly.
"Happy New Year."
As Yooil mouthed these words softly, the short-haired girl jumped in excitement and covered her mouth.
?'
Confused about her reaction, Yooil tilted his head.
"Yooil, who was that?"
Jin Hayoung, who had been engrossed in the stage, finally turned her head to Yooil.
"Do you know her?"
"Not exactly just someone who recognized me, I think."
"Oh my."
Jin Hayoung looked at the student walking away with a surprised expression. She knew Yooil had become famous, but she hadn't felt it much. Moreover, Yooil was currently hiding his face with a hat and a mask. Jin Hayoung looked at Yooil with a newfound expression.
At that moment, a murmur spread among the crowd.
"Look! Theyre about to ring the bell~"
"Wow~"
Yooil held Jin Hayoung's shoulder firmly to prevent them from being swept away by the crowd.
"9, 8, 7"
The crowd shouted the countdown in unison.
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"
Finally, the bell rang.
Thirty-three bell sounds spread far and wide.
"Happy New Year, Yooil~"
"You too, Aunt."
Yooil strengthened his grip on Jin Hayoung's shoulder.
My friend saw Han Yooil at the New Years Eve bell ringing on January 1st
[Just so you know, I was with her, but I didn't see him, damn.
My friend suddenly disappeared for a bit, but I didn't really pay attention But on our way home, she said she saw Han Yooil, shit.
She said he asked her to pretend not to know him because he was with his family
Even though he was wearing a hat and mask, she said he was still obviously a celebrity
She said he was very gentle and kind
He wished her a Happy New Year..]
Is that true?
Fabrication
Yeah, I had dinner with Hwang Yiwon yesterday~
"This is something else."
HM, browsing the community, chuckled.
While HM was reading the comments, another new comment was posted.
Wait a minute, guys
(Link)
HM, who usually blocks trolls immediately, unwittingly clicked on the link.
It led to Han Yooil's Shasta.
[@1_and_only
(Picture) (Picture)
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
#NewYearsEveBell]
The first picture he posted was of the crowd and Bosingak in the distance.
The second was a selfie of Han Yooil wearing a navy hat and mask.
Only his smiling eyes were visible in the photo, but it was unmistakably Han Yooil.
Crazy.'
HM quickly captured the Han Yooil sighting story and started sharing it on BlueChat.
BlueChat's Han Yooil fans began to light up again.
[@HM_0110 Someone met Han Yooil on January 1st (Capture Photo)]
[@alskazhffprxj Wow]
[@djWjfkrhdy
Guys, have you seen the story about Han Yooil going to see the New Years Eve bell? (Capture Photo)]
[@dbdlf_tkfkd Is this real?]
[@yuulll_33 He whispered Happy New Year damn crying right now]
[@jinnnny Ah crazy]
It was just three days before the first broadcast of Saetbyeol High.
* * *
The filming of <The Missing Case of Saetbyeol High> continued into early January. As it was the first gathering of the year, the set was filled with warm New Year's greetings.
"Happy New Year~"
"Same to you, Director!"
"May everyone have a fulfilling year!"
Today's filming involved many supporting actors, giving the main cast more downtime than usual. The youngest staff member of the production team, usually bustling about distributing walkie-talkies, serving meals, and managing extras, longed to observe the main actors' performances. This type of multitasking was more common in film sets, but in dramas, such boundaries were often blurred.
The junior staff member couldn't help but think amidst the fatigue:
I really wanted to see the main actors perform.'
Another staff member, a senior from school now working together in the production team, caught up with him.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"Huh?"
"Today's the premiere, right? Everyone's gathering to watch it together. Arent you joining?"
"What?! Really?"
He was aware that the tight filming schedule overlapped with the first broadcast but
watching the first broadcast together?
"Can I join?"
"Of course!" The response came from an unexpected source.
"Whoa Actor Han!"
It was Han Yooil, speaking with a warm smile.
"Over in Classroom 1-5, we're all watching together. The PD has prepared lots of snacks, you know?"
Before he knew it, the junior staff member found himself in Classroom 1-5, sitting atop an apple box (a multi-purpose wooden box used on sets as a chair, support, or stepping platform).
Looking around bewilderedly, the scene reminded him of watching movies with classmates during the school holidays.
"It's starting!"
"Oh, amazing~"
It was the premiere of <The Missing Case of Saetbyeol High>. Directors rarely produce openings themselves; usually, dedicated artists handle that. However, Director Yoo Jaeho had personally contributed to this opening, which featured his specialty: animation.
The opening started with a dissonant orchestra, the slowly crumbling harmony creating an unsettling atmosphere. When the percussion joined in, the animation truly began. Statues painted like oil paintings, shadowy figures marking them with Xs. Characters resembling Min Hojun, Seunghyun, and Suna joined the scene, breaking statues, following each other, and carrying white flowers. Then shadows fell over their faces, and they looked up to see the school turned prison encasing them. As Min Hojun's eyes glinted red and he raised his hand, the opening concluded with a high violin solo.
"What's with the opening?"
"The sound is so good!"
"The quality is insane"
Director Yoo Jaeho chuckled, proudly noting that he had ground up all the junior colleagues he knew' for this production. But as the title appeared, everyone fell silent, eyes glued to the screen.
* * *
Min Hojun.
Always quiet, inscrutable.
That guy, he's an orphan.
Heard he was in a car accident with his mom but survived alone?
Creepy, really.
Min Hojun pretended not to hear the sharp remarks about him.
Instead, he painted. His works resembled black and white photographs.
As a three-year scholarship student at Saetbyeol High, his artistic talent was undeniable.
Hojun's technique is really something. Great composition but
Still so dark.
His teacher mentally swallowed these words. Hojun was the kind of student you didn't want to provoke without reason.
Then came Seunghyun and Yein, reaching out to the outsider Hojun. The first encounter between Choi Yein and Min Hojun left everyone speechless.
"Wow"
"It's like a painting."
"They really suit each other, dont they?"
"Shh! You can't hear the dialogue!"
After meeting Yein, Hojun seems to brighten up a bit. Especially when painting her, he's more focused than ever. Forehead and nose glistening with sweat droplets, arms moving passionately.
Most of that sweat was real.'
While some was makeup, most of it was real sweat, the result of Yooil immersing himself in the painting during breaks.
Director Yoo Jaeho attentively watched every scene of the drama.
And then came the climax of the first episode.
A student suddenly goes missing.
The missing student is none other than Hojun's roommate.
A student vanishing without a trace within the school.
Naturally, the school is thrown into chaos.
Please find my child our child!
How can a student just disappear from school?!
The agitated voice of the missing student's parents resonates, and the scene quickly shifts to Yein.
Yein delicately picking flowers in the small hill within the school, a beautiful and peaceful shot amidst the school's turmoil.
Yein brings a white wildflower close to her face and smiles cutely.
It bloomed beautifully.
The junior staff member felt chills running down his arms.
Ugh creepy.'
The scene felt even more unsettling right after seeing the weeping parents of the missing student.
Hojun, because he's the roommate, is questioned by the police but isn't considered a suspect as the CCTV footage shows him painting in his studio all night on the day the student went missing.
What's going on here?
Could it be a simple runaway case?
They said he vanished leaving his phone behind.
What's happening
The school is in turmoil.
The administration tightens the restrictions on students' free time.
All students must return to the dormitory by 9 PM.
As the search for the missing student drags on, the air around Min Hojun grows colder.
Did he do something?
Ugh, damn. It's so creepy.
Only Seunghyun talks to Hojun.
Are you okay, bro?
Just leave me alone.
Don't mind what the others are saying. They're just scared and talking nonsense.
Hearing this, Min Hojun clenches his teeth.
He despises Seunghyun. He can't stand how he makes him expect kindness and warmth from people.
Min Hojun glares at Seunghyun with burning eyes.
I hate you more.
What?
Stop pretending to be nice and using me.
Hojun, unable to trust anyone, pushes Seunghyun away.
And then the final scene of the first episode.
Min Hojun sneaks out of the dormitory late at night with a small flashlight, eager to finish his painting.
However, as he quietly enters the studio, he accidentally drops the flashlight.
Hojun's painting, which was fine during the day, has changed.
The camera closely captures Hojun's trembling face, breathing heavily.
Slowly panning from his face to the canvas.
Accompanied by a grim piano piece, Hojun's painting is revealed.
Yein dancing gracefully yet forlornly, and above her eyes a red X is drawn.
As the episode ends, the camera lingers on Min Hojun's shocked face staring at the two small X marks.
"Ah, incredible."
"Even though it's our drama, it's really interesting."
Director Yoo Jaeho, enjoying the lingering emotions, turned his head at the sound of his name.
"Director!"
The voice of the stunned assistant director caused Director Yoo's face to harden.
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