I Will Live As An Actor - Chapter 94
I will live as an actor Episode 94
: Motherly love.
I have no memories of my past life and CSAT. It would be nice to be able to remember at least one difficult problem, but would a delinquent student have that kind of concentration? Anyway, as soon as I got the question paper, I printed the answers as if I was drawing with a marker and went to sleep.
However, as I lived my life again, my life changed. In some ways, the math test is like an old feeling for me. This was the result of falsifying the report card of your mother, who thought your son was good at studying in the past. In the end, when I brought in my college entrance exam score report that I was embarrassed to show to others, the guilt I felt was so great that I couldn’t express it in words.
-Kook, I have to accompany you to the examination center…
Is it a bit easy to travel from Busan to Seoul? Moreover, my mother was physically tired as she worked at the store every day. It was quite difficult to dissuade him from coming all the way to the exam room.
-Don’t worry, who am I? He’s his mother’s son. I’ll do well on the exam and go down to Busan right away, so I’ll see you then. Anyway, on the day of the exam, there are a lot of people from the broadcasting station in front of the exam room, so I can’t stay for long.
But it seems like my mother’s worries are not going away. at last.
-Looking at the forecast. They say that Gosachi was very cold that day due to heavy rain. Well, I knitted a scarf and sent it to you, but I’m not sure if I like the color.
How could you not like it? In the package my mother sent, there was a beautifully wrapped crocheted pink scarf. It was probably something he made in his spare time while working. Let’s put on our school uniform, tie the pink scarf that my mother knitted us, and go down to the first floor.
Sizzling.
From the kitchen, the voices of two masters can be heard along with the savory scent.
“No, brother. When you make porridge, you have to keep stirring it. Look, the bottom part is already burnt. If this continues, I wonder if England is going to pretend to eat.”
“Oh my gosh, did I see this burnt thing? It’s just golden brown. In the past, everything was made and eaten like this. If you sprinkle some sesame oil on it, it will turn out shiny and delicious. Look at the soybean paste you made. It’s too salty no matter how much you boiled it down.”
“Hey, what’s so salty about this? Compared to my brother’s vegetable porridge, the seasoning is just right. Maybe it’s because he’s getting older. You can’t season it properly. There’s a saying that says that when you get old, you can’t even touch salt.”
“This guy.”
The moment my grandfather lifted the ladle that was stirring the porridge, my uncle spotted me and came running to me.
“England, are you ready?”
“Uncle and grandfather. What is all this?”
“What do you mean, my youngest is taking the biggest exam of his life today, so I need to prepare a lunch box for him. I was originally going to ask the aunt, but you were so stubborn. But don’t worry. Even if it’s like this, the taste of uncle’s homemade food is very good. “The vegetable porridge I made was very bland, so I made sure to top it with soy sauce and eat it.”
“Young-guk, there is no need to listen to what Joong-hyeon says. Normally, when taking an exam, you have to be weak in order to be able to get through it well. By the way, the scarf is really pretty.”
My grandfather looked at my mother’s scarf and smiled happily. Anyway, I knew that my mother knitted it herself and sent it to me. But there is no way my uncle would know that fact. The uncle looked closely at the pink scarf and asked curiously.
“England, how come your tastes are like your grandmother?”
Perfect!
In the end, he is a national actor who was hit on the head with his grandfather’s ladle.
* * *
There is already a long line of people in front of the exam room to cheer on the test takers. Not only did juniors from each high school come out early in the morning to cheer, but even broadcasting station officials came out to cheer. That was because it was the day of the college entrance exam for a star actor named Jang Young-guk.
‘This is it.’
England chose an earlier time to avoid inconvenience to other test takers. This is because it was expected that a crowd would gather from the moment he appeared. Moreover, how many ENG cameras are there? There is no doubt that all three terrestrial waves reported it.
“It’s Jang Young-guk!”
As soon as England got out of the vehicle, someone shouted that. The good news is that most of the test takers have not yet arrived at the examination hall. However, as if a flare had been fired, cameras and reporters flocked to the scene, starting with shouts. You can even see fans coming from far away to support England everywhere.
“Thank you thank you!”
Britain didn’t even have time to answer reporters’ questions. Anyway, I only have one or two questions. Moreover, it was clear that if I answered here, I would be stuck and time would be delayed. He doesn’t forget to shake off reporters and bow his head to the fans who come to see him. It was then.
“brother!”
The tip of the nose is wide open. And I can see other juniors and teachers as well. These are all people who came to the test site early in the morning to cheer on the students taking the test at Sehwa High School. England quickly bowed his head to the reporters and fans and walked straight towards the Sehwa High School personnel.
“Why are you out here when it’s cold?”
“I think you came to see Oppa Chi. The other seniors also came to cheer you on.”
“Thank you, I will do well on the exam.”
England touches Yeonsu’s bedside as if he were stroking his cute younger sister’s bedside. Unlike the sudden visit when she was filming a star documentary a while ago, Yeonsu’s face is full of shame. Apparently, the ENG camera is actually running. At that time, other juniors behind Yeonsu pretended to know England.
“Good luck on your senior exam! I’ll cheer you on!”
“Jang Young-guk! Senior Jang Young-guk, the treasure of Sehwa High School!”
“Senior Jang Young-guk, the top student in the entire school! I believe you will definitely write history today! Fighting, Sehwa High School!”
“Hey, don’t put too much pressure on your senior! Just do as much as you normally do! If you do that, you’ll do great on the CSAT!”
England made eye contact with the juniors who were enthusiastically cheering him on, one by one, and expressed his gratitude. And the homeroom teacher, who always looked solemn, approached England. He is a grateful teacher who always silently supported my acting career from afar.
“England, it’s cold, so go ahead and have a cup of something warm. There’s coffee, water, and other drinks, so don’t worry. Just do as usual. I believe that we, England, will do well.”
The homeroom teacher hands me a glass of warm water. It is a warm emotion that I have never felt in my past life. The homeroom teacher even warmed England’s hands with a hot pack, as if he were nervous. England holds hands with his homeroom teacher and nods. At that moment, the terrestrial 3-wave ENG camera captures that warm scene.
* * *
How much time has passed?
There are many emotions on the faces of students leaving the exam room. Some people’s eyes are full of regret like falling leaves in the fall, while others’ faces are overflowing with joy. But if there is one thing in common, it would be one thing.
It is the season of harvest, indicated by golden rice fields. I am filled with an inexplicable sense of regret and reward as I put an end to the two letters that I have put a lot of blood and sweat into for the entrance exam.
‘I felt exactly like this when I was discharged.’
Suddenly, I remember the time when after completing my military service, the feelings I thought would be relieved were mixed with bitterness and regret. It feels like I left the past years there. The same goes for my school days. Now that the huge barrier called the Scholastic Ability Test has been overcome, the only thing left to do is to no longer be a student, but to become an adult.
Just then, as England stepped out of the testing room, the ENG cameras that had been waiting in advance rushed forward.
“Mr. Jang Young-guk, did you do well on the test?”
“I know that you are an outstanding honor student who ranked first in the entire school. In particular, I heard that the math section was more difficult than previous years. How did you feel about it?”
“How do you feel about taking the last exam of your fresh school days?”
Broadcast reporters continue to barrage questions without stopping. I gave a simple answer and looked around, and before I knew it, it was crowded with people. Not only broadcasters but also crowds flocked to see England. Just as I was having trouble figuring out how to overcome this difficulty, a man as big as a bear pushed his way through the crowd.
“Bongchun hyung!”
This is manager Lee Bong-chun. He is the person who waited for England in front of the exam room until the exam was over. It seems that the series of events I experienced while working as a manager in England were helpful, as it is said that it takes three years for a Seodang dog to recite Pungwol.
“Please contact the agency at a later date for detailed interviews! Jang Young-guk is very tired both physically and mentally from taking the exam today. We hope that fans will be generous and understanding!”
Manager Lee Bong-chun easily made his way to the parking lot while shouting. In the end, I was able to take a break only after getting into the car. Manager Lee Bong-chun glances at the rearview mirror and makes an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry, Yeongguk. I should have gone out earlier, but I dozed off in the car. My eyes were obviously wide open. I guess I only fall asleep when I’m near the school, which doesn’t suit me at school.”
A shy expression asks on the bear-like face. For some reason, there was a white mark on the side of his wide face. Manager Lee Bong-chun still feels sorry and gives her a warm thermos. When I open the lid of the thermos, the spicy scent of ginger lingers in the air. A manager is not an unconditional subordinate of a celebrity. Rather, it was like a symbiotic relationship. Just like now.
“I prepared it, but I should have given it to you before the test, but I was afraid you might eat it and get sick. It really shouldn’t be like this. There’s a place you need to go urgently.”
“Where?”
“Your mother came to Seoul and arrived not long after you entered the examination hall. She came to the examination hall in person, but she was very sad that she couldn’t see your face. She said she had somewhere to go and told me to wait for you and take you there. “I couldn’t even tell you. I just got a call asking where you are. Let’s go quickly.”
The place where the car arrived was none other than a temple. A mountain temple densely covered with old pine trees. While the wind chimes hanging under the eaves make a clear sound, you can hear the sounds of bees from Cheonjugyeong and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. There is a person praying endlessly under the Buddha’s gaze. Perhaps he came to Seoul from Yeongdo on a whim, but the clothes he wore were the same as when he ran the fish stall.
My mother prays in front of the Buddha statue, repeatedly rubbing her palms, which are scorched by the sea breeze and full of calluses. My mother is wearing only a pair of thin socks on the cold wooden floor. I’ve been praying for so long that the backs of my hands are red. The same goes for the face.
He continues to open his lips, forgetting about the cold on his wrinkled face. He is reciting a prayer for his son. England goes behind his mother and hugs her.
“mom.”
Then, he takes off the pink scarf from his neck and places it around his mother’s neck. My mother was startled by the sudden warmth, turned around, saw England’s face, and showed a friendlier expression than anyone else in the world. Then he lifts his hand and touches his son’s face.
“It looks like my baby has had a hard time. His face is half-baked.”
Yes, a lot has changed since my past life, but there is one thing that has not changed. It is a mother’s unchanging love.