Superstar From Age 0

Chapter 260

The music team gathered at the recording studio of Yeoul Arts High School to record the last song for the play.

The music team leader and the seniors, who were checking the sheet music for any unsatisfactory performance, gave the juniors a break as they looked tired.

While tuning their instruments, someone spoke.

Mirror, they started selling it overseas, right?

Yeah. Seo-juns foreign fans are buying it like crazy.

I saw a review by someone who read both the Korean and English versions. They said the translation was good.

The English version of the novel Mirror began to sell overseas.

As Seo-juns foreign fans bought the book, the sales increased and it entered the rankings. 

As it entered the rankings, more people became interested. 

And as the news of a Korean novel selling well overseas came out in articles, even those who were not interested searched for the book at least once.

Just like in September, the novel Mirror was selling like wildfire in December.

Its still selling a lot these days. The publisher must be busy.

Ugh. Im nervous that so many people will watch our play.

At the first graders words, the second and third graders shivered. 

They had only participated in competitions at the national level, but soon they would be playing for the whole world.

Im glad its a recording.

As Joo-hee said, it would have been a disaster if it was live.

How about the acting team They must be trembling.

The kids thought of Seo-jun and the acting team who were practicing hard in the practice room and nodded their heads.

Then lets start recording.

Yes!

At the music team leaders words, the kids answered cheerfully.

While the music team was working hard, the background & props team was also busy.

In the warehouse connected to Yeoul Hall, there were props and items for each team that would go up on the graduation performance. 

The background team leader, who stood at the place designated for Mirror Team, checked one by one with a checklist.

Costumes!

Theyre all here!

The costumes that five actors would wear were hanging on hangers. 

Park Min-hyung, a first grader who checked for any tears or dirt, shouted.

Props!

Theyre all here!

From large props to small ones that added details to the play. 

The second grader who borrowed or made what they needed shouted.

Furniture?

They said theyll send it next week.

The third grader who found and arranged furniture that was hard to make and not available at school answered. 

A checklist with no empty space. 

The background team leader smiled contentedly at the perfect preparation.

Now lets practice moving them. Seo-jun gave us a layout. We have to practice if we want to move them on stage within 10 minutes.

Yes!

One week before graduation performance.

The kids who were performing could skip morning and afternoon classes.

Theyll open Yeoul Hall from tomorrow, so we can practice on stage. The time is divided by teams, so we can only do it then.

At Seo-juns words, Mirror Team nodded their heads.

Then lets practice in the practice room and rehearse on stage.

Im nervous about rehearsing?

Lets borrow a camera from the teacher and record and monitor it.

The acting team kids agreed with each other and Seo-jun turned his eyes to look at the music team and background team. 

He looked at the music team leader and background team leader alternately and opened his mouth.

We need someone to adjust the lighting and background sound effects.

The music team had finished all their work and the background team had only one thing left to do: decorate the stage on graduation day. 

Then it would be hard for background team leader.

Chae-yeon, can you do it?

Uh. Im not confident but Ill try.

Kim Chae-yeon, music team leader and piano major, nodded her head. 

It would be better than playing live while watching the play anyway. 

The background team leader cheered for Kim Chae-yeon.

Youll get used to it by tomorrow and do well on that day.

I wonder if I can get used to it.

And the next day.

The first rehearsal on stage for Mirror began.

Seo-jun, who was sitting on a chair with his head down waiting for spotlight to turn on, lifted his head at light that didnt turn on.

He looked at side of stage and saw music team leader who seemed to have come to her senses looking flustered.

Hmm. It would be nice if Chae-yeon could get used to it and match timing but if not Ill have to think of another way.

Seo-jun and acting team kids comforted music team leader who couldnt match timing.

Meanwhile, the music team and background team who had finished everything and were watching rehearsal from audience seats silently rubbed their arms with goosebumps.

The kids understood music team leader who couldnt match timing.

No, they had no choice but to understand.

Wow. How can they do better than practice?

At background team leaders words, the kids nodded their heads incessantly.

***

[December 26th, Brown Black 15th Anniversary Concert Scheduled!]

[WNET, Brown Black 15th Anniversary Documentary to be Broadcast!]

[Tomorrow, December 23rd, Yeoul Arts High School Graduation Performance!]

[When will Yeoul Arts High School Graduation Performance be uploaded on YouTube?]

-Wow. Brown Black is already 15 years old?

=Seo-jun is 16 years old, so haha

=LOL you can tell by Seo-juns age LOL

-I think Seo-jun will appear in the documentary.

=22 If its a 15th anniversary special, theyll start from their debut days. Seo-jun cant not appear.

-I cant believe its graduation performance tomorrow!

=Its time to take out the sealed book!

=Ill read it when its uploaded on YouTube. When will it be uploaded?

=Looking at the dates of the uploads so far, it seems like itll be up within a week.

=Too slow!

-But I dont like the editing.

=22 Its definitely a play, so the camera is always fixed. You can see the actors faces, but theres no close-up like in dramas or movies.

=Cant help it

***

December 23rd. Graduation performance day.

Lee Ji-seok, who was able to attend graduation performance as a related person of Yeoul Arts High School with a special invitation lecture, got into Park Do-hoons car. 

In Lee Ji-seoks hand was a bouquet of flowers that bloomed brightly in winter.

Do-hoon. Are you going to Jong-ho hyung?

Yes.

How about leaving hyung out?

Ahahaha.

Park Do-hoon, who let Lee Ji-seoks words pass through one ear, drove the car. 

He headed to Kim Jong-hos house and Lee Ji-seok shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth.

Do you know? Yeoul Arts High School graduation performance is for three days.

Really?

The first day is a play by the acting department, the second day is an exhibition by the art department, and the third day is a concert by the music department.

I didnt know that.

Should I tell Jong-ho hyung to change the date to tomorrow?

Hahaha.

-You little brat!

Lee Ji-seok was startled by Kim Jong-hos voice and raised his head. Park Do-hoons phone was on speaker mode.

The caller was [Uncle Jong-ho].

When?

Just now.

Youve grown up a lot. Our Do-hoon.

Lee Ji-seok covered his ears at the gurgling voice of Kim Jong-ho coming from the phone.

**

One by one, the parents and guests gathered at the Yeoul Hall of Yeoul Arts Middle School. 

Park Do-hoons car stopped at the guest parking lot. The three actors got out of the car with three bouquets.

When is Da-jin coming?

Park Do-hoon answered Lee Ji-seoks question.

She said shes on her way.

She better hurry up. They close the gate at 1 oclock.

Yes.

The three actors were about to head to Yeoul Hall when they spotted familiar faces.

Three people who were chatting happily.

Isnt that Director Choi Dae-man?

Director Woo Jeong-han and PD Choi Min-seong are here too?

The directors of Reverse, Escape, and My Doctor were smiling and talking. 

The three directors also noticed the three actors. They greeted each other with smiles and then Park Do-hoon asked.

I heard that Writer So Eun-jin also gave a special guest lecture. Didnt she come?

Oh, she said she ran into someone she knew.

As PD Choi Min-seong said, Writer So Eun-jin was surprised to see a familiar face and followed him.

Actor Jeong Si-woon?

The teacher named Jeong Si-woon turned around at the sound of his name. He was surprised to see a familiar face and then smiled brightly.

Oh, Writer So Eun-jin. Nice to meet you.

Im really glad to see you too!

I saw it in the article. I didnt expect you to become a drama writer. Im watching your drama too.

He had read an article that said [The original author of the novel Waiting for the Stars, So Eun-jin, writer of My Doctor!].

I also saw it in the article. I saw that you were a teacher at Mirinae High School

She had read an article that said [Where are the actors of the drama Waiting for the Stars now?]. 

There was no picture, but there was a screenshot of the drama, so she could recognize his face.

Oh, there are a lot of people coming to the graduation performance, so sometimes the teachers help out.

I see. Do you not act anymore?

Jeong Si-woon smiled at Writer So Eun-jins question.

I do. Its a small theater company, but I sometimes go on stage.

What theater company is it? I really want to see it!

The original author who met the actor who was the only one who acted exactly like the character she had imagined in her mind lit up her eyes.

***

A camera, you say?

Yes. If theres no one assigned, can I take it?

Director Woo Jeong-hans words made Jeong Si-woon scratch his cheek.

He was talking to Writer So Eun-jin on the way to Yeoul Hall when he ran into the three directors and three actors. 

He introduced himself as a teacher and Director Woo Jeong-hans eyes sparkled.

Ive seen the graduation performance videos uploaded on YouTube. You only use three cameras, right?

The graduation performance videos on YouTube were bland videos that only showed the stage without any camera techniques such as close-ups from the front, right, and left.

Yes. Theres no one in charge of video. We only shoot the whole stage and dont capture the actors expressions or detailed movements.

That probably would have been the same for this play with Seo-jun acting.

The directors and actors thought What a waste! at Jeong Si-woons words.

Jeong Si-woon also admitted that this time. 

Seo-jun would surely shine even in a bland video, but if he had proper camera techniques, he would have a more amazing scene.

Director Woo Jeong-han said what he had been thinking since he saw Yeoul Arts Middle Schools graduation performance videos. 

It would be hard to do it alone, but there were two more people here.

How about we hold the cameras?

What?

Front, right, left. Just three people.

Director Woo Jeong-han pointed to himself in front, Director Choi Dae-man on the right, and PD Choi Min-seong on the left.

Oh.

Director Choi Dae-man and PD Choi Min-seong nodded their heads. 

Lee Ji-seok, Park Do-hoon, Kim Jong-ho, and So Eun-jin also looked surprised and then nodded as if it was okay. 

They had different styles, so it would be hard to edit, but they would do it well.

What about

Director Choi Dae-man quickly helped Director Woo Jeong-han as Jeong Si-woon hesitated.

Of course, well film all the other teams stages as well.

Jeong Si-woon said he would consult with the other teachers and left.

The directors smiled at Jeong Si-woons half-convinced attitude.

I was thinking of holding the camera myself I didnt know you were thinking the same thing, Director Woo.

The video was too static.

PD Choi Min-seong, who felt relieved, suddenly remembered something and opened his mouth.

But isnt three cameras too few? Director Woo?

If it was a movie, they would have shot it twice, but this was a play that they could only do once. They had to shoot both the full shot and the close-up shot at the same time.

One camera for the full shot, one for the close-up shot. At least two cameras. The places were front, right, and left, so they needed at least six cameras.

Director Woo Jeong-han shrugged his shoulders.

I have a camera in my car. I brought the best camera of the right size.

I have two cameras in my trunk too.

The two movie directors who were full of thoughts of filming Seo-jun had excellent preparedness. PD Choi Min-seong scratched his cheek.

I guess Im the only one who didnt bring one.

Do you want to borrow one? I have three.

Then thank you!

PD Choi Min-seong nodded at Director Woo Jeong-hans words.