Top Star by Luck

Chapter 64

The quiet hallway of the apartment.

Vrrrrr—

The elevator opened, and a man walked out, chuckling sinisterly.

“Hehe, finally made it.”

The man resembled a weak villain from a movie.

He was handsome, but more than that, he gave off the impression of someone you’d want to punch in the head.

That man’s name was…

“Ttak, stop fooling around.”

It was Kim Tak, Lee Min Ki’s fellow acting schoolmate.

“People passing by might misunderstand if they hear you. You know not to be a nuisance in someone else’s house, right?”

“Am I a kid or something?”

“A kid would be better.”

The woman nagging him as if taking care of a child also had a striking appearance.

“You’re too much, Seon Ah.”

Yoo Seon Ah.

She was also a fellow acting schoolmate of Lee Min Ki.

Even while scolding Kim Tak, her heart was pounding just the same.

‘This is my first time coming to Min Ki’s house.’

Today, the two were heading to [Lee Min Ki’s House] to watch the first episode of the new drama [Café del Dia], in which Lee Min Ki was starring.

Lee Min Ki’s house.

To be exact, it was Lee Min Ki’s House 2.0.

The first one was sold off due to privacy issues, and this expanded version was now the second location.

Honestly, she had always wanted to visit at least once.

But there was always something in the way.

[I’d love to do a housewarming and stuff too, but I think Tae Yang might be uncomfortable.]

The other tenant of Lee Min Ki’s house, Kim Tae Yang, was the reason.

[He’s a very tidy person. Still, I’ll try to convince him. Since we have the drama premiere, why not all get together to watch and get closer? After all, we went to the same acting school.]

Even though we haven’t met face to face.

Lee Min Ki had smiled and added that last part.

In any case, after months of careful maneuvering, they were finally stepping into someone else’s house.

It was no wonder that Kim Tak and Yoo Seon Ah were both excited.

“There must be a wine cellar, right? We should raid it all.”

“Um, Ttak, most regular homes don’t have wine cellars.”

“Eh, really?”

“Yes, and it’s not polite to drink alcohol at someone’s first housewarming.”

“I didn’t know that.”

Training the socially inept Kim Tak, who was practically like an ape, they stood in front of the room where Lee Min Ki lived.

Ding dong—

They rang the doorbell and waited for a few seconds.

Thud, thud, thud!

There was the sound of hurried footsteps from inside, and someone opened the door.

The face that appeared was…

“You must’ve had a hard time coming.”

It was Lee Min Ki.

He welcomed them with a bright smile.

However, Yoo Seon Ah’s gaze wasn’t on his face, but beyond his shoulder.

Because…

“…Other people are here too?”

There were other people comfortably seated in the living room behind Lee Min Ki.

Only then did Lee Min Ki’s face come into focus.

He was smiling.

He was definitely smiling brightly, but there was a desperation in his eyes that couldn’t be hidden.

‘If you noticed, please save me.’

* * *

The atmosphere in Lee Min Ki’s house was awkward, to say the least.

Five people in total were there, subtly checking each other out.

To be more specific, four humans and one ape.

More accurately, the ape wasn’t checking anyone out.

“Wow, you three live together?”

“…”

“Man, that must be fun. Ordering two chickens at a time, two pizzas, and even sharing a Netflix subscription.”

In the midst of the incredibly awkward atmosphere, only Kim Tak’s mouth moved freely like a fish swimming in water.

“And when you travel, you could split the cost of a rental car…”

“We don’t live together.”

Unable to hold it in anymore, Lee Min Ki finally spoke.

“Tae Yang and I live together, but Ji Hwan here just dropped by for something.”

“Oh? Really? Ji Hwan, what brings you here?”

“Well, that is… actually…”

Just as Lee Min Ki was about to explain.

Kim Ji Hwan glared at Lee Min Ki like a hungry wolf.

Even someone who had never spoken to Kim Ji Hwan could easily interpret that gaze.

‘If you spill the beans, I’ll beat you to death, and then hit you one more time to finish you off.’

In simple terms, it meant he was feeling embarrassed.

With his lofty pride, he didn’t want it revealed that he had come to a fellow rookie’s house seeking acting advice.

‘Wow, look at that glare.’

Noticing the look, Lee Min Ki let out a hollow laugh.

‘If only he could channel that into his acting, he’d already have won an Academy Award.’

Oh, Linda.

I’m so sorry, Linda.

Ignoring the deep voice ringing in his head, Lee Min Ki, as the host of this event, decided to show some minimal consideration for Kim Ji Hwan.

“It’s the premiere of Café del Dia today. We decided to watch it together.”

“I didn’t—”

“Right?”

Just as Kim Ji Hwan was instinctively about to object, this time Lee Min Ki glared at him.

This is as far as my kindness goes.

If you don’t cooperate, I’ll spill everything.

“…Tsk.”

Kim Ji Hwan averted his gaze.

His eyes twitched, but after letting out a sigh, he finally spoke.

“Yeah, Min Ki and I work on the same set, so I came over to watch it with him.”

“Oh, so we’re chingu~ chingu then!”

“Chingu?”

“Min Ki’s my friend, so a friend of a friend is also my friend.”

At Kim Tak’s words, a vein bulged on Kim Ji Hwan’s forehead, feeling utterly humiliated.

But maybe because he had at least some level of social awareness, he managed to restrain himself after receiving Lee Min Ki’s disapproving gaze.

‘How did I end up here?’

What started as a whimsical visit for some acting advice had spiraled out of control into this mess.

To be precise, it was all because of Kim Tae Yang.

[Since you’re here, why don’t you stay for dinner? I just made marinated salmon the other day.]

In the middle of their consultation, Kim Tae Yang had suddenly shown up with a shopping bag and proposed a meal.

He was going to decline, but then Lee Min Ki egged him on.

[Really?]

With a face that lit up as if he’d found gold on the street, Lee Min Ki had cheered.

[Tae Yang’s marinated salmon is the best. How long has it been since you made it?]

Lee Min Ki’s face was all smiles as he said that.

It was just salmon.

Just some salmon.

No matter how good marinated salmon could be, how delicious could it really be to evoke such a reaction?

Curiosity got the better of him.

That was Kim Ji Hwan’s mistake.

Kim Tae Yang, unfazed by the chaos, stood calmly with his arms crossed, nodding slightly.

‘My marinated salmon is special. Those who know good food would understand.’

He loved cooking just as much as acting.

If he hadn’t become an actor, he might’ve become a chef and aimed for a Michelin star.

Meanwhile, Yoo Seon Ah was busy marveling at the situation.

‘Wow, this is how successful people bond.’

The atmosphere was different from the start.

Lee Min Ki and Kim Ji Hwan were among the top new male actors these days, so there was no need to even mention them.

And Kim Tae Yang had recently appeared in a mini-drama as a supporting actor and gained attention as a scene-stealer.

He had just as much potential as Lee Min Ki.

Lee Min Ki himself had said so.

[Tae Yang is amazing. He’s great at grocery shopping, cooking, especially his marinated salmon, and even cleaning. He’s a multitasker. When something breaks, he fixes it on his own. He’s a human MacGyver. Anyway, his marinated salmon is just… wow.]

Although he seemed to be praising Tae Yang’s housekeeping skills rather than his acting, Yoo Seon Ah only remembered what she wanted from the blurry memory.

[Tae Yang is…

good at acting and a human MacGyver.]

He’s good at acting and fixing things like a human MacGyver.

How talented does someone have to be to earn the nickname “human MacGyver”?

But wait, isn’t MacGyver human by default?

Anyway, sitting at the same table with these three gave off an extraordinary vibe.

‘This is what it feels like to be around successful people.’

Though, strictly speaking, the awkward silence between them gave the air of weighty presence.

At least in Yoo Seon Ah’s eyes, the three professionals seemed that way.

‘No, I shouldn’t just stand by idly.’

When did she start feeling awed by rookie actors?

Yoo Seon Ah quietly chastised herself.

It seemed the best way to reignite an actor’s ambition was to face others in the same situation head-on.

After being rejected at two consecutive auditions recently, the fire of passion reignited within Yoo Seon Ah’s chest.

‘I need to debut soon so I can stand confidently among them.’

Yoo Seon Ah made a mental note to remember this moment of her future colleagues.

“Wow, this marinated salmon is crazy delicious.”

Kim Tak stuffed a piece of salmon into his mouth.

Without caring about others’ reactions, he kept shoving the food into his mouth and exclaimed in admiration.

“Tae Yang, you’re a genius! How did you make this marinated salmon? Is it a secret? Are you the next Baek Jong Won?”

“Hmph.”

“Man, the texture is soft, and the juice just explodes with every bite.”

“I aged it with kombujime.”

“Kombujime, huh? I don’t know what that is, but it sounds fancy.”

“Please, eat as much as you’d like.”

“Ahh, this is a food thief! My mouth is watering. I need to eat as much as I can while I have the chance.”

“I’ll pack some for you to take home, so feel free to eat slowly.”

Surprisingly, Kim Tae Yang, who was usually shy around strangers, seemed to like Kim Tak’s reaction.

It was a madhouse.

One person was being mindful of others.

One person was silently angry.

One person was burning with ambition.

One person was burning with appetite.

And one person was feeling proud.

Anyway, that was how the situation was going.

“Um…”

After a long period of reflection, Lee Min Ki finally spoke, having made a firm decision.

“It’s almost time for the premiere.”

Gulp.

Swallowing his dry throat, Lee Min Ki took a step forward.

“Shall we get ready to watch?”

“Oh, sounds good.”

Yoo Seon Ah clapped her hands.

“Yep.”

At that moment, Lee Min Ki shot up from his seat, ran to the living room, turned on the TV, and set everything up in lightning speed.

It was as if he had been waiting for this moment for minutes.

‘It felt like I was going to die from the awkwardness.’

The idea of watching something together was nice, but the awkwardness couldn’t be helped.

This time, since they were already invited, there was no helping it, but he’d have to think twice before inviting them again.

* * *

Café del Dia.

It had been a hot topic as a project by Director No Ho Yeon, a prominent figure in the film industry who had switched to drama.

But lately, it had become more famous for the appearance of actor Lee Min Ki.

[A man who is serious about coffee.]

[A coffee expert.]

[From the cheer man to the coffee man.]

The work itself was modest.

Maybe because it was a romantic comedy about food, it wasn’t marketed with a big budget like other blockbuster dramas airing at the same time.

Yet, it still managed to stay relevant in the buzz.

Today was its premiere.

And Lee Min Ki’s thoughts on watching the first episode were simple.

‘Wow, it looks amazing.’

He already sensed that it wouldn’t be ordinary.

‘Maybe because the director used to work in film? The color grading alone is different.’

He had seen some rough footage on set, but the final edited version had a distinctly different feel.

‘Director No Ho Yeon took the lead, and PD Jang Tae Wook supported him.’

PD Jang Tae Wook was someone whose work you could trust.

Director No Ho Yeon and PD Jang Tae Wook.

Just putting their names together guaranteed a high level of quality.

But the real star of the day was elsewhere.

It was…

‘It’s starting.’

Lee Min Ki himself.

His heart pounded with nervous excitement.

How would he look on screen?

What kind of acting would it be?

How would he appear on screen?

Even though he had run countless simulations in his mind, real life always had a way of being slightly different from expectations.

And the final result that unfolded was…

“…Hmm?”

It was much colder than he expected.

His expression was emotionless, and a cold disdain was etched on his face.

‘Did I act that coldly?’

He was surprised at himself, but when the dialogue started coming out, it got even worse.

[No matter what, you’re just a barista working in a small shop. After a few hours of basic training, do you really think you’re any better than a Starbucks part-timer?]

He had no manners.

Although the character [Sung Jin Woo] was his own, there was an inhumanity about him that felt more extreme than expected.

Because of the cold tone of the scene, his acting seemed even more ice-like.

‘Wow, this is top-tier editing by a top-tier director.’

Lee Min Ki kept pushing forward.

On the other hand, Kim Ji Hwan was busy getting backed into a corner.

For a moment, Lee Min Ki felt a tinge of pity for him.

‘Huh?’

At the same time, Yoo Seon Ah stared wide-eyed at the screen, lost in shock.

‘When did he get so good at acting?’