Translator: Dreamscribe
The girl in the wheelchair who received the piano performance as a birthday gift from Kang Woojin. No, Asami Yusako. The girl’s mother, Asami Sayaka, was a voice actress of considerable repute in Japan. Although voice actors are treated like celebrities in Japan, Sayaka wasn’t quite in that league.
A voice actress praised for her beautiful voice and skill.
She had top-tier recognition among her peers and was highly esteemed in the industry. She had voiced numerous hit works and continued to do so. Because of this, Sayaka had many followers on her Instagram, and she had posted about Kang Woojin.
Fans found this slightly puzzling.
But reading the content made it abundantly clear why Sayaka mentioned Kang Woojin.
[I told Kang Woojin-ssi that my daughter received a wonderful gift for her birthday. Kang Woojin-ssi asked my daughter what her dream was. She replied that she wanted to be a voice actress and her favorite work was ‘Howl’s Moving Castle.’ Kang Woojin-ssi encouraged her. He was really nice. That was the extent of our conversation. We didn’t talk much. But then, the actors from the movie ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ were gathered at the restaurant, and Kang Woojin-ssi also entered the same restaurant.]
[Then, piano music started to fill the restaurant. Yes, it was Kang Woojin-ssi who was playing. Neither my husband, my daughter, nor I expected it. As you all know, the song was ‘Merry-Go-Round of Life’ from ‘Howl’s Moving Castle.’ Why did Kang Woojin-ssi suddenly play that song? You guessed it, right? Yes. Kang Woojin-ssi remembered what my daughter said about ‘Howl’s Moving Castle.’ That impromptu piano performance was for my daughter.]
[Can you imagine? It was a birthday gift for a girl from another country with whom he had exchanged only a few words. It was something beyond mere fan service.]
Sayaka detailed what she saw and felt, explaining the situation. Though not explicitly stated, the entire post conveyed a sense of profound emotion and gratitude. The post described their tears, the reactions of the restaurant guests, and the final greeting Kang Woojin gave to her daughter after the performance.
Naturally, the post ended with numerous hashtags related to Kang Woojin.
[#KangWoojin #KangWoojinPiano #KangWoojinPianoPerformance #MerryGoRoundOfLife······]
Fans began flooding the post with comments almost instantly.
-Oh my God….I had no idea there was such a story behind it….truly touching
-I’ve already seen the video of Kang Woojin playing the piano, but reading this brought tears to my eyes
-Kang Woojin is super super super super cool!
-You mean he played a piano piece just for one person??
-Wow, if it were me, I would have fainted on the spot
-This story needs to be seen by many, I’ll share it as much as I can
-I completely understand your daughter’s tears, Kang Woojin seems like an amazing person
-The fan service is crazy!! This is on a level never seen before! The artist I love playing the piano just for me right in front of my eyes……
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The comments kept coming endlessly. It started with Sayaka’s fans, a well-known voice actress, but many others joined in through the tags. This atmosphere and flow began to create another tidal wave.
There was a twist hidden in the big issue that had shaken Japan.
The Japanese netizens were thrilled with a story that went beyond just a heartwarming tale. It’s always the case that when an unknown backstory emerges, the incident becomes even more intense, especially if it’s unexpected, like in this instance.
Many Japanese people’s perceptions began to change.
Those who had viewed Kang Woojin with skepticism removed their tinted glasses, and those who were merely impressed by his piano skills were moved. It planted strong goodwill in people who had no particular thoughts, and those who already liked Kang Woojin began to idolize him.
But this was just the beginning of the second tidal wave.
About two hours later, in Korea.
Late morning. A large van speeding down the highway. The destination was Seoul. Inside, Kang Woojin was silently gazing out the window. As usual, he had a deep poker face. However, inwardly, he was jumping with joy.
‘Oh- how long has it been since I’ve been in Korea! It’s so nice to be back home.’
It had been a while since he returned to Korea. In his heart, he wanted to dance with joy, call his family and friends, and make a fuss. But because he had to maintain his persona, that had to be postponed.
Regardless, since it was a secret return, neither Korea nor Japan knew Kang Woojin’s whereabouts.
Both countries were already buzzing with Woojin’s news, so there was no need to stir things up further. This was a thought shared by both Kang Woojin and Choi Sung-gun. Similar to Japan, there were many new issues related to Kang Woojin in Korea. ‘Our Dining Table’, the ongoing project with PD Song Man-woo, and his piano skills showcased in Japan.
Well, Kang Woojin wasn’t aware of the second wave happening in Japan. Choi Sung-gun was also in the dark.
“Phew – I’d like to let you rest today, Woojin, but your schedule is packed, so there’s hardly any free time. There’s a lot to do in Korea as well. Even though I’ve compressed the schedule as much as possible, it’s still like this. What can we do? We have to get through it.”
Although he didn’t have a light schedule in Japan, Kang Woojin’s main activities were in Korea. Along with advertisements, his piled-up schedule was exploding.
“Yes, it’s no problem.”
Even so, it felt new and fascinating.
‘It’s February now— I’m incredibly busy.’
Last year and this year were vastly different. Now, he was even active between Japan and Korea. Woojin, who was just an ordinary citizen, had become a famous actor in Japan as well. This was proof of how relentlessly he had been working.
And now.
“The general schedule is as follows. I’ve contacted Director Ahn Ga-bok, but you should call him separately too, shouldn’t you? Hmm- no, he must be busy with the audition preparations right now.”
They were on their way to the audition site for the actors of ‘Leech’, which had been confirmed earlier. The first schedule upon returning to Korea was as a judge for Director Ahn Ga-bok’s movie. The audition was set to start around 2 PM. About four hours remained.
‘Well, I just need to sit quietly and observe. Yeah, let’s keep my mouth shut and just watch.’
Though he was called a judge, Woojin’s mindset was no different from that of an audience member.
Still, he didn’t want to appear foolish.
‘I heard there would be quite a few top actors, right?’
Veteran Director Ahn Ga-bok and renowned actor Sim Han-ho were fellow judges, and the auditioning actors ranged from A-list to top-tier. Though he didn’t know exactly who would be there, it was like a battlefield for Kang Woojin.
With many big names present, maintaining his persona was even more important.
Additionally, Kang Woojin was the first actor cast in ‘Leech’ and was co-starring with the formidable Sim Han-ho. Style and class were essential.
‘Hmm-’
Woojin slowly crossed his legs and turned his gaze to the scripts and scenarios piled on the right seat. He reached out and picked up the ‘Leech’ scenario. He had already read it several times and had several reading sessions, but the best way to kill rising tension was through review.
-Rustle.
He also had thoughts about the recently acquired ‘Role Synthesis’. The situation had changed since he had last read it. Kang Woojin turned the first page of the ‘Leech’ scenario.
‘Leech’ started with articles about a chaebol family.
Their immense lives and the light and darkness. Various incidents and accidents. After quickly showcasing these articles, the scene shifts. The background shows a subway during rush hour. Many people are cramming into the subway for their commute.
Then the scene changes again.
The setting is a large warehouse of a manufacturing company. Koreans and foreigners are busily working. They carry, make, package, and stack materials on pallets. Everyone is sweating profusely. Among them is the protagonist of ‘Leech’.
He was slightly tall but overall quite ordinary.
His hair was neat, and his skin looked rough as if he didn’t care about skincare. Wearing work clothes, he was indistinguishable from the other employees.
His name was Park Ha-seong.
He was a person who did nothing but work to death. Why? Because he had a lot of debt. His father had passed away when he was young, and his mother had recently passed away as well. Park Ha-seong was left alone. No, he wasn’t completely alone. Debt was always by his side. Combining his parents’ medical bills and various other expenses, the amount reached thousands.
Park Ha-seong’s constant working was an unavoidable choice.
On weekday mornings, he worked at this manufacturing company, and at night he did substitute driving. Unfortunately, he was a temporary worker even at the manufacturing company. He didn’t rest on weekends either. Whenever he had time, he took on short-term part-time jobs.
‘There’s no time to rest if I want to pay off the debt.’
His days, months, and years started and ended with work. Originally, he gave up on college because he had no money. Studying? There was no time for that. The only skill Park Ha-seong had was sign language. His mother had a disability, so he had to learn it from a young age. Other than that, he didn’t have any special skills.
He had a bit of keen observation and good resourcefulness?
Park Ha-seong wrapped up his weekdays with work as usual, and on weekends, he looked for short-term part-time jobs. Then he noticed an announcement. A large church was looking for staff for a charity event. Well, they called it staff, but it was just a position to handle miscellaneous tasks.
So what?
The type or intensity of work didn’t matter to Park Ha-seong. He just did what he could.
Fortunately, his application was accepted, and after receiving a day’s training, Park Ha-seong reported to the location of the charity event. The venue was a huge mansion with a large yard. The yard was set up with a buffet-style spread, and a lot of notable people were gathering around it. When he got there, it turned out the so-called charity event was actually a meeting place for chaebols and influential people. There were also some foreigners.
According to the scenario, Park Ha-seong deeply regretted the first person he met there.
‘I shouldn’t have met her.’
At this point, Kang Woojin tapped the black square attached next to the scenario to re-enter the world of ‘Leech’.
In an instant, his world transformed into the void space.
“Let’s see-”
Kang Woojin selected ‘Leech’ among the lined-up white rectangles.
-[You have selected the script (Title: Leech).]
-[Listing characters available for reading (experience).]
-[A: Park Ha-seong, B: Chairman Yoon Jung-bae, C: Yoon Ja-ho······]
The character was naturally Park Ha-seong.
[“Preparing to read as ‘A: Park Ha-seong’······”]
Soon, endless gray covered Kang Woojin. At first, it was dark and nothing could be seen. But he heard Park Ha-seong’s voice. No, he might have been speaking right now.
“I don’t know who I am anymore. Who I exist as. I’ve lost my way. Is it really me speaking right now? Or am I just making excuses to fit the situation? Again, I don’t know. I might be smiling tomorrow morning.”
His voice was faint and weak.
“Will I be the one laughing tomorrow morning? I’m confused. Am I imitating someone, or is that really me? At first, it was envy. I wanted it. Your world. But now, I can’t find the real me. I think I lost it on the way. It will be hard to find.”
As the voice faded, the world of ‘Leech’ came into clear view for Woojin. Or rather, for Park Ha-seong. From head to toe, Kang Woojin was filled with Park Ha-seong. The most prominent feelings were ‘urgency’ and ‘anxiety.’
Gradually, the colors around him became more vivid.
The weather also came into focus. It was chilly. He could hear the murmuring of people around him. His clothes felt tight on his body. A suit. Woojin, or Park Ha-seong, was wearing a suit. One hand felt heavy. He was holding a round tray full of empty wine glasses.
The ground under his feet was crunchy.
The artificial grass was standing upright. The world of ‘Leech’ was not as dark as one might think. It was glamorous and joyous. The expressions of the people were like that, their leisurely actions were like that, and the mouth-watering smell of the food was like that.
-♬♪
Faint classical music could also be heard. The word that popped into Kang Woojin’s head upon seeing the expansive scene was:
‘What kind of world is this?’
It was envy disguised as a grumble. It was jealousy. What could he do? They were in the same space, but those people were from a different planet. Park Ha-seong sighed softly and continued his work. He carried wine glasses, served food, and did various errands.
Then, when he went to fetch additional chairs stacked behind the mansion.
“Huh?”
He saw a middle-aged woman. However, she looked young for her age. She was quite tall and stylish. Whether she was lost or just looking around, he couldn’t tell. But one thing was certain.
“She’s a rich wife.”
Her luxurious clothes, the jewelry on her ears and neck, and the ring on her finger all looked expensive. For a moment, something hot rose in Woojin’s chest.
‘Damn, that one ring is probably worth my year’s salary. Life’s a bitch.’
But he didn’t express it outwardly. There was no point in saying it; it would only highlight the crappy reality of Park Ha-seong. Soon, he approached the madam and offered a polite sales pitch.
“Are you looking for something?”
The madam turned her head. Up close, she was more beautiful than he thought. No, much more. Kang Woojin almost let out a ‘wow’ in amazement. How much money did she spend on her face? But age cannot be hidden. There was something subtly aged about her.
She just looked at Woojin without answering.
“······”
What is this? Slightly annoyed, Woojin asked again.
“I’m sorry, I asked if you were looking for something.”
This time, the madam smiled faintly and shook her head. At this moment, Kang Woojin realized something. No, he was certain. Without knowing why, Woojin reflexively raised both hands.
-Swoosh.
It was sign language. Woojin showed sign language to the madam. He was even very good at it.
[“Are you looking for something?”]
It was probably because of the unique smile and actions she had just shown. Park Ha-seong’s mother was the same. That practiced smile or laugh that people who use sign language have. If Park Ha-seong or Woojin were wrong, they’d look like a crazy person, but fortunately, the madam widened her eyes slightly and raised both hands.
[“You know sign language?”]
[“Yes. I learned it from a young age because of my mother.”]
[“Your mother? How is she now?”]
[“She passed away.”]
[“I’m sorry.”]
[“It’s okay. It’s been a long time. How can I help you?”]
The madam’s practiced smile disappeared instantly. As if she could finally breathe.
[“Then could you chat with me for a bit? I’m bored to death here.”]
He thought of his late mother. Of course, the madam in front of him had a completely different face, but Woojin was lost in memories. Thanks to that, Woojin set up the chair he was going to move right there and gestured to the madam. Then Kang Woojin also took out a chair and sat down.
They talked for several tens of minutes.
The conversation topics were all over the place. She was clearly a madam from a chaebol family, yet she was kind to Woojin. It was fascinating. She was different from the chaebol people Kang Woojin had in mind. Then the madam’s phone rang. It seemed like a text message. She asked for understanding and sent a reply. Exactly ten seconds later, a presence was felt behind them.
-Swoosh.
“Huh?”
A low, deep male voice. Woojin turned his head to see a middle-aged man. He was wearing a well-fitted full suit, his hair was a mix of black and gray styled with pomade, and though he looked over 60, he had a solid build. Most notably, his eyes were intense. He looked at the madam before turning his gaze to Woojin.
“Who are you, young man?”
Kang Woojin stood up abruptly.
“S-sorry. I work here and just happened to…”
“Ah, I see.”
The man, who had been smiling slightly, raised his hands to the madam. It was sign language again.
[“Were you having an affair with this young man here?”]
The startled Woojin answered quickly.
“Affair? No!! We were just talking for a moment! I’m sorry!”
“Oh? You know sign language?”
“Yes? Ah- yes. I learned it from a young age.”
“Ho- impressive. Well, if not, you wouldn’t be able to converse with my wife.”
So, she is his wife? At this moment, the madam stood up from her chair and approached her husband, showing sign language. Since she had turned her back, Kang Woojin couldn’t see it.
[“Dear, I’m just playing with this boy here. The party is too boring.”]
It was the moment she voluntarily attached the leech to herself.
*****
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