Top Star by Luck

Chapter 56

[Café del Día].

It was a note saying he had passed the lead audition.

It was only after waiting a full week that Lee Min Ki finally received the result, and heat rushed to his head.

‘Really? Did I really pass?’

He opened his mouth in disbelief, staring blankly at the scene.

He had prepared his best, thinking he had given everything he had.

But to be honest, he thought the odds of failing were higher.

‘I thought I went too far with my approach.’

He wondered if he had overstepped his boundaries, trying to beat Kim Ji Hwan in the freestyle acting portion.

No matter how hard he had tried, it felt like a gamble.

As the production company’s response kept getting delayed day by day, he became more convinced he hadn’t made it, but now, the result was a pass.

This meant one thing.

‘I was right.’

His risky move had been the right one.

This was his first lead role on public television.

Caught in the overwhelming joy, Lee Min Ki kept grinning as he repeatedly read the message on his phone.

Maybe that was why his strange behavior caught someone’s attention.

“Why are you like that?”

“Ah.”

At Kim Tae Yang’s question, Lee Min Ki snapped out of it and cleared his throat before responding.

“You know Director No Ho Yeon’s new drama that I auditioned for?”

“Yes, you mentioned it earlier.”

“They just told me I got the part.”

“…!”

Kim Tae Yang’s eyes widened at the news.

But then he calmed down, speaking as if he had expected this.

“Is that so?”

Kim Tae Yang muttered indifferently and pushed back his chair, standing up.

Screech.

He even went back to the kitchen and started rummaging through the fridge.

His actions seemed strange to Lee Min Ki, so he asked curiously.

“Why are you acting like this? Aren’t you going to eat?”

“When there’s good news, it’s not seafood.”

Kim Tae Yang closed the fridge again, pulled out a chunk of beef, and dangled it in front of him.

“Beef is the right choice.”

* * *

In an exam, when one person passes, it usually means someone else has failed.

But in an audition, that’s not always the case.

Two people.

There was an option where two people could pass together.

And this time, it was the same.

The other was Kim Ji Hwan from Daon Entertainment.

“Well, you passed, at least. That’s what matters.”

CEO Hwang In Goo chuckled as if he didn’t care much about the result.

But Kim Ji Hwan couldn’t bring himself to laugh along.

Why?

“I got pushed to a supporting role.”

He had passed, but he was relegated to the secondary male lead.

Grit.

Kim Ji Hwan ground his teeth, unable to suppress his humiliation.

‘If they were going to reject me, they should have just done it completely. Why offer me another role instead?’

Anger surged within him.

But, strictly speaking, the judges had seen something good in him.

Why had they not rejected Kim Ji Hwan but instead given him the secondary male lead?

The reason was simple.

They sensed his impatience, desperation, and inferiority complex beneath the surface.

They had an instinct that, with a little adjustment, these traits could be brought out in his acting.

Of course, his basic acting skills were good as well.

Though it didn’t seem to resonate with him.

‘Are they looking down on me?’

There was certainly a reason for their decision. If they hadn’t thought he was good, they would have cut him.

He knew this.

But no matter how much he knew, he couldn’t help the anger bubbling up inside.

‘How hard did I prepare for this role?’

Though it wasn’t publicly known, Kim Ji Hwan had spent far more time preparing for this project than the other participants.

It was thanks to the secret information Daon Entertainment had gathered.

“I can’t accept this.”

Maybe it was because of his simmering frustration that he looked so pitiful.

CEO Hwang In Goo put down the documents he had been reading and sighed.

“Ji Hwan, you seem to be misunderstanding something, but you’re still a rookie actor.”

“….”

“Our company has already done a lot to give you opportunities, but when things don’t go your way, you have to know when to step back.”

“But—”

Just as Kim Ji Hwan was about to protest,

“Or do you think I’m wrong?”

CEO Hwang In Goo’s eyes gleamed like a snake’s as he spoke.

“The other side still saw potential in you, which is why they made the offer. It’s goodwill, goodwill. Do you know how hard it is to create a lead role for someone who should have been eliminated?”

“…Ugh.”

“You may not like the role, but walking away is a different story. Are you scared of Lee Min Ki?”

CEO Hwang In Goo’s one-sided pressure continued, keeping Kim Ji Hwan in place like a scarecrow.

“There’s more to the company’s business than you think. I’ve got a lot on my plate already, so don’t add to it by getting on my nerves.”

“…”

“Am I talking to myself?”

“…I understand.”

Kim Ji Hwan bit his lip tightly.

Humiliation churned within him.

It was common sense that when looking at talent agencies, the actor was the one in power and the agency was the subordinate.

But their relationship was different.

It was more like an uncle and nephew relationship.

Not by blood, but still tied by strings that, if strained, would cause headaches.

After all, his father and the CEO were old business partners.

“I’m just saying. You’re doing fine, kid.”

CEO Hwang In Goo waved his hand dismissively, as if tired of the conversation.

“Go on. And cut back on the drinking. It doesn’t look good for an actor to smell like alcohol.”

With those words, Kim Ji Hwan trudged out of the CEO’s office.

In the now empty room, CEO Hwang In Goo took out his e-cigarette, took a long drag, and exhaled the smoke, muttering.

“Damn kid, he’s starting to grow a head of his own.”

That’s how rookies were.

At first, they were grateful even for bit parts, but as time passed, they started to take supporting roles for granted.

Then, as soon as they hit lead roles, they started rejecting parts based on their preferences.

It was what people meant when they said their noses got higher.

‘He’s gotten too comfortable.’

Kim Ji Hwan was just walking that path faster than others.

Well, whatever.

That kind of arrogance suited him for his character anyway.

But someone else bothered him more.

“Lee Min Ki… Lee Min Ki… Lee Min Ki, huh?”

It was Lee Min Ki.

As CEO Hwang In Goo recalled his face, his eyes spun in contemplation.

‘At first, I thought he was just another rookie who acted well.’

Every year, countless rookies appeared.

Even if one stood out a bit more, it wasn’t unusual.

Many rookies performed well early in their careers.

But long-term, nine out of ten of them faded away.

Geniuses who lasted long were rare.

But geniuses who started fast were common.

That’s why CEO Hwang In Goo trusted his instincts.

He would invest in Kim Ji Hwan.

Even if Lee Min Ki seemed quite talented now, he had a gut feeling there was a limit.

‘He’s got weak energy.’

Not star material.

He felt it instinctively.

The intuition that had gotten him this far told him so.

Then why did this kid, Lee Min Ki, keep crossing paths with him?

‘Am I unlucky? No, that can’t be it.’

His luck had always been good.

Hadn’t he made it through this tough entertainment industry, leading a pack of nobodies and beating countless competitors along the way?

If he’d had bad luck, it would’ve been impossible.

‘There’s no way my luck is bad.’

There were no exceptions.

CEO Hwang In Goo was absolutely confident in his luck and his intuition.

‘Hmm, as long as we don’t overlap, it’s fine, but somehow we keep clashing. That supplement ad and now this drama…’

What kind of guy was he?

It felt bothersome.

Like a drop of soy sauce on his clothes that just wouldn’t come off.

‘Am I overreacting?’

It was pointless to overthink.

Just because the other guy was bad didn’t mean his own actor would shine.

But CEO Hwang In Goo had always been this way.

Once he decided something was off, it was off, no matter what.

Compared to Kim Ji Hwan’s resentment, CEO Hwang In Goo’s twisted feelings were on a whole other level.

“Yak-yu-go-bul bul-juk-shi-shim shim-ha-won-myeok…”

Clack, clack.

He calmly chanted his Buddhist prayers, rolling the beads on his wrist for a moment.

Then CEO Hwang In Goo’s eyes snapped open.

‘Ah, this is pissing me off.’

He needed to vent.

There didn’t have to be a big reason.

Venting didn’t need a reason in the first place.

He just felt like punishing the pest that had irritated him for even a moment.

It was a bad habit he had developed since he was young.

The kind of guy who, if he didn’t like someone at school, would steal their pencil case and toss it onto a tree.

‘Good. I’ve made up my mind. Let’s cause a little scratch while I’m thinking about it.’

There were many ways.

Too many, in fact, to decide which would be the most appropriate.

* * *

The first meeting at Café del Día.

Just like in the previous [Forever Green], the first day’s schedule was the same.

[We will begin the script reading at 2 PM, so please attend the meeting room on time. There may be consequences for non-attendance.]

It was a script reading.

And it was taking place at the main building of the filming location, [Cafe Rio].

‘Ugh, I’m so nervous.’

He had already experienced it once before.

But Lee Min Ki’s heart was pounding like a high schooler 20 minutes before the college entrance exam, and it wouldn’t calm down.

If you asked him why, it was because his position was different this time.

“Oh my, actor, I really enjoyed your previous work.”

“Haha, thank you.”

“I’m such a big fan. I always thought it’d be great if we could work together one day, and now that it’s happening, I’m so excited!”

She was so excited she had said the word “excited” three times in one sentence.

In fact, the way people looked at Lee Min Ki was completely different now.

Before, how should he put it?

He was just a fresh rookie who had luckily been chosen by Director Yeom Gwang Ho.

But now, no matter where he looked, everyone’s eyes were filled with a much friendlier gaze.

‘He’s got the makings of the next star.’

‘Campus Story was good, and he was great in Forever Green, too. That supplement commercial? I heard it did well.’

‘He looks even better in person.’

‘He seems to have a good personality, too.’

Like waves, the attention and goodwill poured over him.

In fact, it was starting to make Lee Min Ki feel a bit overwhelmed.

‘It would be easier if they were looking at me harshly. Everyone’s being too nice; it’s making me uneasy.’

In the midst of all these positive gazes, there was one person sending a very familiar look.

‘Wow, he’s been staring at me nonstop. Isn’t he tired?’

It was Kim Ji Hwan.

No matter how others treated Lee Min Ki, Kim Ji Hwan was busy glaring at him.

It seemed he hadn’t expected to see Lee Min Ki sitting there after thinking he had been eliminated, and now, he burned with competitive spirit.

‘I heard he’s playing the rival role. Is he already in character?’

That’s right.

If Lee Min Ki was cast as the lead, Seong Jin Woo, then Kim Ji Hwan had been cast as Seong Jin Woo’s rival, Cha Young Hwan.

Ironically, the dynamic between the two characters in the drama mirrored their real-life situation.

Seong Jin Woo was the elite barista brought in from above, while Cha Young Hwan was the barista who had been there all along.

A character who was consumed with inferiority toward the superior Seong Jin Woo.

In both love and in coffee-making.

‘Actually, that gaze is more comfortable.’

If everyone had treated him nicely, it would have been too much to handle, but Kim Ji Hwan’s one-sided glares made him feel more at ease.

Lee Min Ki, as always, was showing his odd social adaptability in the most unexpected way.

Meanwhile, someone was watching the whole scene with satisfaction.

‘Yes, this is exactly the setup I wanted. Both of them are doing well.’

It was Director No Ho Yeon.

With a broad smile, he thought to himself.

‘I had to think about this for a while, but now I can finally see the results, can’t I?’

Regardless of what happened between the two actors, as long as the final product was good, Director No Ho Yeon didn’t care.

With a delighted voice, he announced.

“Alright, let’s start the script reading now. Please take your seats.”

At his words, the chatting actors and staff quickly scattered and found their seats.

Director No Ho Yeon sat at the center, playing the role of moderator.

Around him, the seats were arranged according to the importance of each character.

Naturally, this meant Kim Ji Hwan was seated right next to Lee Min Ki.

“Looking forward to working with you.”

“…Yes.”

Kim Ji Hwan couldn’t completely ignore the greeting, so he nodded curtly.

But inwardly, his competitive fire was burning.

‘I’ll crush him during the reading.’

To redeem the humiliation he had felt during the audition, he had practiced until he thought he would die.

He had rehearsed so much that his throat had burst, leaving scabs behind.

Even though his role had changed, Kim Ji Hwan was confident he could overpower Lee Min Ki in any scene.

That weak-looking guy with a constant smile wasn’t even worth his attention.

Outside of this studio, they wouldn’t have exchanged a single word.

‘Let’s see how long you can keep smiling.’

When it came to solo performances, who knew? But when acting together, he was sure he could destroy him.

At least, that’s what Kim Ji Hwan thought.

However.

“Let’s start with scene 13. Min Ki, Ji Hwan, please get ready.”

The moment the script reading began,

Kim Ji Hwan instinctively realized he had been wrong.

“The world’s really become a better place, hasn’t it?”

A sneer formed on Lee Min Ki’s lips.

“Even someone like you can call themselves a barista just because they roast some coffee.”

“…”

“Aren’t you ashamed?”

His voice and presence were so commanding that it made Kim Ji Hwan want to avert his gaze instinctively.