Chapter 183

“Til next time.”The chairman got into his car after shaking hands.“So it went well?” Lawyer Park asked.Junmin nodded with a smile.“But why is Lee Junmin of all people taking the time to take care of little kids?”“The more time an investor spends on his investment, the more he’ll get out of it.”“You think Maru has that much value?”“There’s that and I didn’t want to lose Geunseok so abruptly. It’d be nice to see both brothers become a pair of stars in the Korean entertainment business, wouldn’t you agree?”“Ugh, again with that habit of yours, you were like that since college. Then again, you always liked to profit off of other people’s success.”“I mean, the only thing I got out of my fifteen years of acting was just debt. That’s when I realized that I couldn’t make it big by myself.”He realized a long time ago that he had no talent in acting, the reason why he tried it regardless was because of false hope. He has spent his mid-thirties struggling to make it big. He realized his foolishness when the theater company he worked at crumbled to the ground.“Why don’t you travel and get some rest now? I’m sure you have more than enough money at this point.”“Nope. I don’t want to retire yet. There are still so many things I haven’t done.”“You’re still greedy, after producing so many big stars in Korea?”Junmin nodded. Money no longer motivated him, it didn’t matter if he threw away all his money to get what he wanted. “There are many people who are good at acting. They’re all great, but they don’t meet my requirements. They’ll never meet it.”“...I think that person’s still got you in her grips. What was her name again?”“Jung Haejoo.”“Right. Her. I remember that time. It was around now. You were laughing like a madman, telling me you finally found it.”“Right. She was the one person who really met my standards. Someone who could’ve become a true star.”“I don’t want to bring up a dead person, but I was curious from the beginning. Did you like her?”“...She liked dogs very much.”“So that’s where your love of dogs comes from. Is that why you’re still single?”“Maybe?”“Hey, get married already. Don’t get tied down to your past so much. Her acting back then was probably amazing, but was it amazing enough for you to think about it even now? Memories are always beautiful. It can’t be helped that the Haejoo of your memories is better than everyone you’re seeing now. You’re past the age to be chasing after dreams. You should come to an agreement with yourself and enjoy life a bit more.”“So, that’s why you keep calling me on your anniversary, to keep telling me you’re tired as hell?”“Ugh, you and your memory.”Lawyer Park stepped onto his car.“It’s all subjective in the end. I don’t think there’s an actor who can charm everyone. Lower your hurdles a little bit. Make yourself comfortable.”“I must look horrid if you, of all people, tells me that.”“You only just realized? You’ve raised so many people over the past two decades. Just grab anyone on the street and ask them. Ask them if the people you’ve raised are average. Everyone’s going to say that your people are fantastic actors. So stop chasing after your memories. You’re amazing enough as is.”Lawyer Park left, waving his hand through the window. Junmin watched the car get further away from his vision as he muttered.“But friend, I’ve already seen it. I know what acting that can caress a person’s soul looks like. As you said, it could just be a ghost of my memories. But I can’t forget it. The play on that day, her acting on that day… I can’t help but chase after it, even if it’s but a ghost. I still haven’t stepped a foot away from the auditorium since that day.”Junmin pressed down on his hat before walking away.