Chapter 29

    Chapter 29

    He opened his eyes.

    As soon as Seo-jun got up from his cot, Seo Eun Hye, who was reading a pocketbook, looked at the clock. It had been less than ten minutes.

    You didnt really sleep, did you?

    I was meditating!

    He felt a smile forming on his face whenever he saw his mom. Seo-jun tensed his face. He couldnt smile. That would be trouble.

    Seo-jun-ri. Its time for filming soon.

    Jonathan, who had been listening to the childrens crying all day, spoke to him from outside the tent with a detached expression.

    Yes. Im going. Lets go, Seo-jun.

    Okay.

    Seo-jun clenched his face to avoid smiling carelessly and walked out of the tent holding his moms hand.

    ***

    Wahhh! The mushroom is so pitiful!

    A burly mercenary was crying loudly with his face buried on the table. His colleagues, who were sitting at the same table, just shook their heads and drank their liquor.

    Whats wrong with him?

    Another mercenary from a different group, who was familiar with their faces, asked as he passed by. The mercenary captain, who was closest to him, snorted and opened his mouth.

    We went to the mountain for a request this time, and there was a crying mushroom there. He was the one who was in front of us. As soon as he entered the territory of the crying mushroom, he burst into tears, and we were fine, but

    He couldnt protect us, so we couldnt go on with the request.

    The mercenary nodded.

    If it was a crying mushroom Even if it was a fully grown mushroom, he would be fine by tomorrow evening if he cried like that.

    If he had been the one who got affected, he would have cried for half a day and been done with it

    The mercenary captain lowered his head as he looked at the glutton who was eating without even lifting his head at one end of the table. The glutton raised his head as if he knew they were talking about him.

    Captain! I heard crying mushrooms are really delicious! We should have collected them yesterday!

    We couldnt even collect them, let alone enter the territory. We would have cried too much to collect them. But they must be in demand, theyre very expensive.

    There.

    Someone interrupted the mercenaries conversation. He had a large load on his back and his face was wrapped in a brown cloth. He looked like a herbalist. Next to the herbalist was a child who looked like his apprentice.

    Where is the mountain with the mushrooms?

    The mercenary captain raised a finger as he glanced at the herbalist. The herbalist threw him a gold coin.

    The herbalist and his apprentice slowly climbed up the mountain that the mercenary captain had told them. There were holes everywhere and the trees were tall.

    It was a rugged mountain with huge rocks and tree roots tangled together.

    Master! You shouldnt give gold coins so recklessly! How do you know its really a crying mushroom?

    Its not a crying mushroom

    Yes, yes. Herbalists should use the correct scientific name! I know. Smiling face mushroom!

    That guy was definitely under an illusion magic. Theres only one way to get caught by an illusion magic in this remote place where even magicians cant see.

    I know that too. But a silver coin would have been enough!

    The herbalist stopped walking and the apprentice closed his mouth. They saw the three rocks that the mercenary captain had mentioned.

    Its around here.

    Lets look for it.

    The two of them searched for the smiling face mushrooms around the rocks. The herbalists eyes, with his years of experience, spotted a small white dot.

    It was a smiling face mushroom.

    I found it.

    Ill get ready!

    The disciple put down his backpack and took out a crossbow. He tied a sturdy rope to the end of the arrow.

    Seo-jun answered confidently, and Ryan smiled. He was a brave kid, unlike the other child actors who would get nervous and teary-eyed when he explained. But he didnt stop giving advice.

    Dont be surprised when Barren grabs you.

    Hi, Jun.

    Barren, wearing a green outfit, waved his hand from behind the chroma key cloth. His fingers were also covered with green cloth. Seo-jun waved back.

    Barren wondered if he could expect something this time, seeing Seo-juns relaxed appearance. Ryan peeled off the tape that was stuck on the floor and got up.

    You can make mistakes as much as you want, so dont be burdened, or rather, dont worry. Tell me if youre cold.

    Im fine!

    Im not fine.

    Ryan chuckled and returned to his seat.

    A chilly wind blew.

    Ryan Will raised his hand in front of the monitor, and the staff became quiet.

    In the silent set, Seo-eun-hye, who unknowingly held her breath, couldnt even sit on the prepared chair and stood looking at Seo-jun.

    She was worried about her son, who didnt smile since he came out of the tent.

    Is he nervous?

    Seo-eun-hye was also experiencing movie filming for the first time, so she couldnt help it. Na-ra, who had finished the call, came and patted Seo-eun-hyes anxious shoulder. She whispered quietly, Hell do well, Yes.

    Seo-jun, who was checking the area of the mushroom, turned his head and saw his mom and aunt Na-ra standing side by side.

    He wanted to smile and reassure his mom, who was nervously clasping her hands, but no. He couldnt. He couldnt. Seo-jun raised his hands and pressed his lips that seemed to rise without him knowing.

    When the camera director looked at Ryan, Ryan nodded. Ryan shouted loudly.

    Ready!

    Melissa, who was holding the door handle tightly inside the house, took a deep breath. It was already her umpteenth line today.

    The line was just one word. William! But she had to express the anxiety and pain that was contained in it.

    Barren, who was behind the chroma key cloth, also took a deep breath. Timing. That was what he had to match.

    Seo-jun held the teddy bear.

    ****

    A few months ago, Seo-jun watched a documentary.

    Swalin Arnham, a famous Hollywood actor for his great acting, swept his white hair and talked.

    [The basis of acting, in my opinion, is understanding. Understanding the history of the character.]

    History?

    Seo-jun tilted his head as he watched the documentary with his dad and studied acting.

    Lee Min-jun watched his son Seo-jun lying on the floor, drawing a worm with crayons on a large sketchbook. He held his breath and smiled.

    He didnt know that the worm-like drawing was a mix of monster letters, Korean, and English that only Seo-jun could understand.

    [History may seem difficult, but its simple. Its about understanding how a character was born and grew up, their growth process. For example, the protagonist of Soldier, the movie I starred in, Benter]

    Swalin Arnham talked about Benters parents and growth process. He explained the reasons for his personality and the motives behind his actions in the movie.

    [But there are characters who are difficult to create history for. They are the extras.]

    [The extra characters who pass by the main characters without any dialogue have their own stories too. But the scriptwriters have no reason to create history for those extras. They are busy. They are useless.]

    Swalin Arnhams face hardened. He was a middle-aged man with a strong impression, and the atmosphere became serious as soon as he frowned.

    [Actors have to understand the history of those extras, even if they dont have any.]

    How?

    Seo-jun dropped the crayon from his hand and crawled to the front of the television. He was stopped by his dad. He couldnt take his eyes off Swalin Arnhams serious face, even in his dads arms.

    [Create it.]

    [There are many clues. They are all in the script. You have to analyze and understand even the smallest clues.]

    So Seo-jun created it.

    The clues were a teddy bear, a mom, and a smile.