Top Star by Luck

Chapter 45

A living room in an apartment.

A man, dressed in a tracksuit, sat in the middle of the room, his eyes glued to his phone, chuckling to himself.

“Wow, Min Ki, you’re really popular.”

“……”

The person sitting across from him remained silent.

“I’m jealous. I want to know what it’s like to be popular too.”

“……”

“What does it feel like to be handsome?”

“……”

“Min Ki, tell me, won’t you?”

It was the kind of teasing that a senior in the military might direct toward a junior, playful and relentless.

After enduring the one-sided teasing for a while, Lee Min Ki finally sighed and spoke.

“Teacher, please stop teasing me.”

“I’m not teasing. I’m always sincere.”

“You’re sincerely teasing me!”

“You got me.”

The man in the tracksuit, Trainer Kim Ah Sung, laughed out loud as he chewed on a squid leg.

“But seriously, the response to your teaser was great, Min Ki. You can’t deny that, can you?”

“Well…”

“Right, it’s true.”

Yoo Seon Ah chimed in.

“It’s all over the internet. People are wondering where this rookie actor was hiding and saying they can’t wait for the movie to be released.”

“We’ll have to wait and see. Only a few people know me right now.”

“Oh, Min Ki! If you’re too modest, it just comes off as deceptive!”

Finally, Kim Tak jumped in.

“The director at the acting school has been bragging about you lately. They even printed out your photo and put it up on the wall, claiming you’re one of their star students.”

“……”

That director?

Lee Min Ki couldn’t even imagine it.

Caught in the three-way banter, he could only sit there, unable to respond, repeatedly rubbing his face in frustration.

He had no rebuttal.

It was true that the reaction had been good lately.

***

[Title: The Eternal Green Meme Has Been Born.gif]

It had become a hot topic among movie fans online.

[Is that guy’s name Lee Min Ki? He’s got a great vibe, I admit.]

[The teaser looks decent.]

[For the first time in 9 years as a fan, I think it’s time to switch my favorite actor.]

[But what if the movie isn’t good after all this hype?]

[Hahaha, I’m not even going to the movie for the plot!]

[Ah, hahaha.]

[Hahahahahahahaha.]

[It’s not like this is the first movie ever made, haha.]

[The director is Yeom Gwang Ho, though. He’ll make it work, right?]

[For real, hahaha.]

The movie hadn’t even been released yet.

Moreover, it wasn’t the kind of project that naturally generated a lot of buzz.

Yet, much of the conversation centered around Lee Min Ki.

Most of it was about his looks.

‘It’s nice, but… honestly, it feels really good.’

Who wouldn’t like being praised for their looks? However, it would feel a bit strange to flaunt that himself.

Besides, the movie hadn’t even been released yet.

Sure, it was great to receive attention for his appearance, but that was only a small fraction of the overall reaction.

‘The real test will come when people actually see the movie.’

That’s when the real competition would begin.

For that reason, Lee Min Ki was trying to stay humble and manage his expectations.

Trainer Kim Ah Sung, however, found this amusing and continued to tease him even more enthusiastically.

“By next year, you’ll be such a star that I won’t even be able to talk to you, right?”

“…Sir.”

“When that day comes, I’ll have to introduce myself as someone who knows ‘Teacher Lee Min Ki’. Thank you, Actor Lee Min Ki. But seriously, don’t you think you look especially good in photos?”

“Right?”

At the mention of photos, Yoo Seon Ah’s ears perked up, and she added her thoughts.

“You look amazing in person, but in photos or videos, you seem to shine even more. Although, I think you look better in real life.”

“Oh, that’s what it is. You never have bad pictures, no matter what. Look, doesn’t everything just look great?”

“Is that true? Wow, you’re right! No bad photos at all.”

That was precisely it.

Lee Min Ki had the unique trait of never looking bad in pictures, no matter the situation.

It seemed like he was born with luck.

No, it was more than just luck.

***

[Photos are gifts from the heavens.]

There was a saying by a famous photographer.

[If your goal is to take a 90 out of 100 photo, you can do that with effort. But a perfect 100 photo is different. It requires more than just hard work. You need a combination of circumstances: the right time, the right lighting, and a bit of luck. That’s why a perfectly taken photo is a gift from the heavens.]

In this sense, Lee Min Ki was especially photogenic.

His good posture and stable facial expressions in any situation played a part as well.

Finally, embarrassed to the point of almost exploding, Lee Min Ki waved his hands and spoke.

“I get it, so please stop. I’m seriously going to die here. I’m already halfway gone.”

“Haha, alright, alright. Then, let’s have a toast.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung raised his glass and suggested.

“To Min Ki’s blockbuster debut!”

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

“…Cheers.”

Indeed, today was meant to celebrate Lee Min Ki’s upcoming film debut.

It was held at Trainer Kim Ah Sung’s house.

The three of them often used to gather at the acting school, but since Lee Min Ki had stopped attending, they found a new hangout at Kim Ah Sung’s place.

“But Min Ki, you’re not drinking again today?”

“I have to take care of my body. Also, alcohol causes breakouts on my skin.”

“That’s a shame.”

As Kim Tak prepared to drink on Lee Min Ki’s behalf, he added.

“And I have a class reunion dinner later.”

“A reunion?”

Lee Min Ki, feeling shy, tilted his head and answered.

“Yeah, it’s my high school reunion. It’s been years since I last went.”

That was exactly it.

With less than two weeks left before the movie’s release, he planned to use his rare day off to finish everything in one go, including the reunion.

‘It feels like such a long time ago.’

It felt like it had been over a decade.

Thinking back to his high school days, not many pleasant memories came to mind.

Maybe it was because he’d had such bad luck back then.

His school life had been rough, filled with accidents and misfortune.

‘I had a hard time, that’s for sure.’

As a result, Lee Min Ki had rarely attended reunions.

His long stretch as an unknown actor had eroded his self-esteem, making him avoid them.

‘But now, my luck has turned. Maybe things will be different this time?’

He secretly harbored some hope.

Maybe now he could share some normal memories of school life, just like everyone else.

“I didn’t used to go much, but I thought it might be fun this time.”

It was a wistful thought.

“Really? Celebrities usually don’t go to reunions.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung shrugged his shoulders and said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, most of the ones I know don’t go. Especially the ones who’ve made it.”

“Why? Is there a reason?”

“It’s a job that makes it easy to be hated.”

He smirked as he continued.

“If you’re not successful, people look down on you. But once you make it, all sorts of leeches cling to you. You just end up getting hurt. Celebrities have a hard time making genuine friends after they debut.”

“Ah.”

“Some stars try to reconnect with old friends to heal from that, but they often get hurt even more and retreat further into their shell. Click.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung muttered as he poured himself another drink.

“All the stars who’ve made some money are regulars at the psychiatrist’s office.”

It was an unusually serious conversation for him.

But it was close to his own experience.

Though he was now working as a trainer, Kim Ah Sung had once been an aspiring actor himself.

Neither then nor now had he ever received much kindness from his peers.

The conversation paused briefly.

“Ahem.”

Yoo Seon Ah cleared her throat and said.

“But Min Ki, you’re a good person. You always worked hard, even when no one was looking. I’m sure your classmates will notice that.”

“I hope so.”

“I’m sure they will. I guarantee it.”

Yoo Seon Ah raised her glass and handed it to Lee Min Ki.

“Cheers.”

“……”

He remembered what Trainer Kim Ah Sung had said earlier.

About how it was hard for celebrities to make real friends after debuting.

‘Maybe he’s right.’

His words weren’t without truth.

However, Lee Min Ki had a gut feeling that the three people with him today would always be his friends.

Trainer Kim Ah Sung was rough around the edges, but he knew how to care for others.

Yoo Seon Ah was a genuinely good person.

As for Kim Tak… well, at least he didn’t cause trouble for anyone.

‘Yeah, that’s all you really need from people.’

He might not have much tact, but he wasn’t only clueless.

‘Anyway, they’re all good people.’

Lee Min Ki felt something indescribably warm and emotional seep into his chest, and he smiled faintly.

“Thank you. But give me water instead of alcohol.”

“……”

At his firm response, Yoo Seon Ah blinked.

How could he avoid drinking even on such a special day?

His willpower was incredible.

As an aspiring actor, she found it admirable.

But it was also a bit of a buzzkill.

‘Well, that’s just how Min Ki is.’

She thought she should catch up quickly and handed him the water glass.

“Cheers.”

***

A bustling bar on the 4th floor in Hongdae.

The lively sound of chatter filled the place.

“Hey! How long has it been?”

“I thought I was going to die from missing you.”

“How’ve you been? I thought you’d end up dead early, riding your motorcycle around, but how are you still in one piece?”

“Just keep cursing me, why don’t you?”

About 20 men and women in their mid-20s were enthusiastically sharing drinks.

These people were none other than—

“Thank you all for coming to the 24th alumni reunion of Imhak High.”

They were former classmates attending Lee Min Ki’s high school reunion at Imhak High.

Once the brief formalities of the reunion were over, the real party began.

And that meant drinking.

“Why are so many people missing?”

“They’re all busy with work.”

“So, does that mean everyone here is unemployed?”

“Hey, don’t diss the unemployed. See that person over there?”

“……Can you call me a full-time investor, please?”

As with most reunions, their conversations were nothing special.

Just reminiscing about old memories.

And sharing updates on their lives.

But tonight, there was a topic of conversation everyone was secretly eager to discuss.

For a while, they indulged in light, inconsequential chatter, waiting for the real subject to emerge.

Finally, it came up.

“Did you hear about Min Ki?”

Lee Min Ki was the focus of their discussions.

Though he wasn’t present yet, his name was repeatedly mentioned throughout the reunion.

“Min Ki? Who’s that?”

“You know, actor Lee Min Ki. Hold on, let me show you a picture. This guy.”

“Huh, we had someone like him in our class? He’s really handsome.”

“I heard he was in a drama. Was it Campus Story? The one about school life.”

“He’s a supporting actor.”

“Didn’t he join a big agency? JC is pretty huge, right?”

“I read an article saying people were going crazy about how handsome he is.”

Most of the conversation revolved around how successful Lee Min Ki had become.

Or how successful he was expected to become.

However, amid the flood of talk about his current status, other types of stories surfaced as well.

“Come to think of it, I remember Min Ki from high school.”

They began discussing Lee Min Ki’s high school days.

To be precise—

“He was really nothing special back then.”

Stories about how he wasn’t particularly remarkable in high school.

The majority of these stories went like this:

“He didn’t have much confidence. I didn’t even realize he was good-looking.”

“But he looked cool in the drama, though?”

“Well, photos and real life are different. Maybe he just has a face that looks good on camera.”

Most of the comments were negative.

It couldn’t be helped.

In high school, Lee Min Ki had severely lacked confidence.

It was hard to imagine him becoming an actor at the time.

He had been so passive in social interactions that it was unlikely his high school classmates would have anything positive to say about him.

Lee Min Ki had to reclaim the past seven years of his life.

The events that had happened before that were beyond his control.

“Honestly, I didn’t even recognize him at first. He used to just sit there reading all the time.”

“Even during PE, when everyone else was running around the field, he’d just sit on the sidelines, watching with the girls.”

“Wasn’t he always injured or something?”

“Hey, that’s just an excuse. Nobody gets hurt that often.”

Output is proportional to input.

If there weren’t many good stories to begin with, there wouldn’t be any positive stories now.

Naturally, the conversation devolved into gossip.

“Yeah, but at least Min Ki had a kind personality….”

There was always someone trying to say something nice, but they would soon be swept up in the tide.

There was one distinct characteristic about gossip.

At first, people are hesitant to say anything harsh. But over time, the collective mood washes away any guilt.

Once the leash is loosened, the gossip snowballs.

With shared guilt diluted among the crowd, it gets easier to say things that might otherwise feel wrong.

This time was no different.

Over the course of several minutes, the conversation escalated.

“Do you think he had plastic surgery?”

“There were rumors he used to hang out at hostess bars.”

“I heard he failed his college entrance exams and ended up working on construction sites. His life was a real mess.”

“Well, he’s an actor now, so who knows? Or maybe that’s the kind of job for people like him in the first place?”

“Hey, actors need good luck. Min Ki’s bad luck is famous. Do you really think he can succeed as an actor? Maybe if he only does one or two projects.”

Even his insecurities were laid bare.

Was it fortunate that he wasn’t there to hear all of this?

It was only because Trainer Kim Ah Sung, drunk and causing a scene, had made him late.

“Hey, if even Min Ki can pull off a good photo, I should be an actor too.”

“Exactly. If someone like him can look that good on camera, you should be more than capable.”

“Maybe when Min Ki gets here, I’ll ask him to introduce me to his agency. If I land one project, my life’s made, right?”

“That sounds like easy money.”

By now, the alcohol had dulled the last bits of guilt they felt.

They were intoxicated, unaware of their growing addiction to malicious gossip.

Ding.

The bell at the entrance of the bar rang, and someone stepped inside.

No, he didn’t just step in—he stood still.

But that was enough.

“……”

“……Whoa.”

Around 20 men and women in the bar froze, eyes locked on the newcomer.

They stood motionless, unable to say a word.

They couldn’t help it.

It was inevitable.

‘Who is that?’

‘Wow, he’s ridiculously handsome.’

‘He looks familiar, though.’

The person standing at the door was none other than Lee Min Ki.

Dressed in a refined coat, he stood bathed in the soft blue lights of the bar, radiating an almost mystical aura.

As the dim shadows slightly obscured his face, the lights from the building behind him formed a halo around his figure.

With all the elements coming together, how could one describe this sight?

It was the very picture of mood.

It resembled a scene straight out of a Hong Kong movie.

Standing at the center of it all, Lee Min Ki calmly swept his gaze across the room, his eyes sharp as if drawn with a fine brush.

‘Is this the right place? I think it is.’

It had been nearly a decade since he last saw the faces of his classmates, but there were a few familiar ones in the crowd.

But why wasn’t anyone reacting?

Feeling that he should say something first, Lee Min Ki cleared his throat and muttered quietly.

“Uh, this is the Imhak High reunion, right?”

Still no response.

Feeling awkward, he coughed and spoke again.

“I’m Lee Min Ki.”

The moment those three syllables left his mouth—

‘Ah.’

‘That’s Lee Min Ki?’

‘Wait, the real Lee Min Ki?’

The eyes of the reunion attendees widened in unison, their pupils trembling.

‘…He looks amazing in person.’