Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 29

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.

Meanwhile, the herbalist slowly surveyed the area of the smiling face mushroom and chose a tree.

When the disciple handed him the crossbow, the herbalist, who had found a sturdy tree, shot the crossbow.

Hit!

The disciple ran to the mushrooms area, avoiding it, and quickly tied the rope tightly to the tree. The herbalist also tied the rope to a nearby tree.

And then he tied another rope to the rope that was tied high like a clothesline and tied it to his body.

Be careful, master.

Yeah.

The illusion magic of the smiling face mushroom was a magic that affected anyone who entered the mushrooms area and saw the mushrooms smiling face.

The only way the smiling face mushroom could protect itself was this illusion magic that made anyone who saw the mushroom feel a slight pity or burst into tears.

The smiling face mushroom could be harvested if the mushrooms face was not seen, but unfortunately, all four sides of the mushrooms east, west, south, and north were faces. No matter where they went, they could only see the mushroom.

The herbalist had learned one way from his previous master.

The herbalist took out a thick cloth and covered his eyes. And he slowly relied on the rope tied to the tree and headed towards the smiling face mushroom.

A month later, two dishes of smiling face mushroom, big and small, were served on the imperial emperors table.

I didnt know there would be baby mushrooms! We got twice as much! With this, we can pay off all the masters debts!

The disciple, who saw the shiny gold coins in the pouch he received from the merchant, smiled brightly.

The herbalist, seeing the disciples smile, shoved the newly created debt collection paper into his pocket.

***

Jonathan Will led Seo-jun and Seo-eun-hye to the filming location.

Jonathan took out a small teddy bear from the bag he had been carrying on his shoulder and handed it to Seo-jun. This was the fifth time he had given it to him.

He hoped the filming would end soon. To be honest, he didnt have much expectation for this kid, Seo-jun Lee. Even kids older than him cried and quit when they went into filming.

His mouth moved on its own, while his head was thinking of something else.

You have to keep this, its for filming.

Yes!

Holding the teddy bear in one hand, the three of them headed to where the staff were gathered.

The staffs expressions were not good, as the filming continued all day. It would have been fine if there was any progress, but this was the fourth time they had been fooled.

Seo-jun and Seo-eun-hye saw the staff surrounding a chroma key device installed on one side of the yard of an ordinary American house.

The guardian can wait here. The actor, go to the director.

At Jonathans words, Seo-eun-hye waved her hand slightly at Seo-jun.

Good luck.

Okay!

Jonathan took Seo-juns hand and headed to Ryan Will, who was looking closely at the monitor.

He didnt know how many times he had checked, but he couldnt be careless. Ryan, who was comparing the screen and the image he had in mind, turned his head at Jonathans call.

Director. Seo-jun Lee, the actor, has arrived.

Hes here. Lets do well.

Yes!

Ryan Will got up from his chair and headed to the yard with Seo-jun. He placed Seo-jun in front of the chroma key structure that would become a wormhole in CG.

Seo-jun looked around the floor and the surroundings marked with tape. He lifted his head and saw the door that Melissa would run out of. It was a clear view.

[Checking the area of the smiling mushroom face.]

The area turned blue wherever Seo-juns eyes reached. The door that Melissa would run out of, the camera that was installed, and the place where Ryans chair and some staff were located.

When he turned his head, the blue area returned to its original state.

People have only one face, so their area is only this much.

Seo-jun nodded. The camera would film Seo-juns face anyway, so it didnt matter.

Here, you play with the teddy bear that Jonathan gave you. When Melissa calls you, you look up.

I know!

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.