BIE 10

Chapter 10… The Beggar’s Fresh Start (1)

Vvvvvvvvrrr!

That sound—full of vibration—struck a chord deep within me.

It was the ringtone of a cellphone.

Why did it strike a chord?

Because it finally stopped the onslaught of nagging.

Seriously, my ears were about to bleed.

Earlier, Gamdong had blown up again after I asked if he had cleaned up. I had tried to redirect the topic with a sigh, but that question reignited the verbal barrage.

“Now?”

What?

Why is he suddenly shouting while answering the phone? But… the sparkle in his expression suggested it was something good.

“Yes! Yes! Ah! Can I bring along a supporting actor? …Thank you!”

The moment he said “supporting actor,” our eyes met.

That look… it was warm.

“Take off those clothes and follow me immediately.”
“It’s embarrassing.”
“I said change your clothes! Hurry up!”

Ah… I keep arguing back. I suppose that’s understandable.

I’d been talking to myself for so long that speaking at length with a normal person felt amazing. Usually, I’d just mutter a mechanical “thank you” while begging for scraps…

“Ah! Hurry up!”
“I-I’m coming!”

I’ll need to correct this habit if I’m going to adjust to society.

“Set up another one here!”
“Hold that light panel! Okay, great!”

The busy set was alive with movement.

Amid it all, our Gamdong moved professionally, attending to his tasks.

“Wow, as expected!”
“He’s the one PD Jo brought, right?”
“Yes! I’ll do my best, no matter the role!”

While Gamdong was busy, the person who had come looking for me frowned at my confident answer.

Heh. I’m experienced, after all.

“This person looks way too normal. It doesn’t read visually!”
“Ah…”

Damn.

Maybe my modern, refined look was the problem. I realized this was a historical drama set. Someone like me wouldn’t exactly fit in. But I still needed to make an impression for today’s pay. Show that I could do something.

“If you could just give him a role like a general or a noble…”
“Nothing like that comes up today, and even if it did, we wouldn’t cast him in it. PD Jo! He won’t work today. He’s way too normal!”

Gamdong, help me!

“That person should play a beggar!”
“Huh?”

Ugh… Gamdong?

“He’s good at playing beggars! He played one in a previous shoot!”
“With that face?”

I thought he was about to out me.

“I’m originally a beggar!”
“Huh? Oh, well, if PD Jo says so… let’s have him change clothes first.”
“Thank youuu!”

Gamdong, busy running around, couldn’t help but turn his head at the excited voices coming from the side.

“Wow!”
“You can change your whole face like that?”
“So, to really look like a beggar, you can’t just smear soot on your face. A beggar’s face has layers of grime… use oil as a base like this…”
“Whoa!”
“…Whoa.”

Gamdong chuckled at the absurdity.

They had brought me here to fill in a scene at the beggar settlement, and I was adjusting naturally. I didn’t have bad intentions, even if my words sometimes caused trouble, and I wanted to help.

After all, Gamdong was someone who had given me a meaningful memory with my grandmother, even if it had put his life at risk. I couldn’t just ignore him.

“Perfect, the top beggar is complete!”
“Wow!”

The makeup team cheered at the new beggar created in his hands.

“You’re talented.”

Gamdong smiled in disbelief. If he were a real beggar, he’d probably hide everything. But I had none of that. Charm? Survival instinct? Probably the latter.

“Okay, rehearsal time!”
“Yes, let’s go!”

Gamdong moved busily again.

“Stand by… huh?”

Director Kim Hyun-chul clicked his tongue in disbelief.

The background filling the monitor had caught his eye.

“What is this? Did they gather real beggars?”
“Gamdong’s supporting actor helped, apparently.”
“Wait, a makeup expert came along as a supporting actor?”
“Seems like it. Definitely looked professional.”
“Director Kim, ready!”
“Alright, let’s get the background first.”
“Going! High stand-by! Go!”

Kim gave the start signal and focused on the monitor. Then he shook his head, waving his hands.

“Cut! Cut, cut, cut!”

With a disappointed look, he rewound the footage.

“How does this look?”
“Not particularly… oh, it stands out.”

The cinematographer approached and nodded after understanding Kim’s comment.

“Right? PD Jo! Gamdong!”
“Yes!”
“Look at this!”

Gamdong ran to the monitor.

“This part here.”
“Ah…”

He immediately understood the director’s point.

“Check which group this person belongs to, and have him match the others’ vibe.”
“I brought him here.”
“Huh? A makeup expert?”
“Yes?”
“The makeup, you said you brought him?”

Gamdong smiled.

“He’s not a professional makeup artist, but he’s good at acting like a beggar.”
“Not bad! Which troupe was he in? Very realistic.”

The director pointed at the shot of the beggar settlement—a flowing scene that set the tone for the episode.

“Ha, ha ha.”

Gamdong laughed awkwardly. He couldn’t exactly say he had been a real beggar before.

“Look sick. Beggars get sick? No, then people would run away fearing infection, not pity.”
“Wow!”
“Relax your eyes. Make it hopeless. Don’t slump both shoulders, just one. Oh! Good!”

Today, I was a beggar instructor.

This was familiar territory. Occasionally, rookie beggars had asked me for lessons.

In a world with beggars and homeless mixed, these earnest newcomers were rare.

They were potential competitors, but I gave generously every time. Why? The market pie needed to grow. Begging as a culture was disappearing. Professional beggars needed to keep it alive. Think of me as the EBS master instructor of the beggar world.

After a brief, intensive lesson, Gamdong approached me.

“Done?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.”

Watching the training from the side, Gamdong looked satisfied.

“Remember, everyone. The camera is our audience, and every action can earn us a coin!”
“Alright!”
“Let’s go!”

Filming resumed. We gave it our all, and soon Kim’s satisfied voice rang out.

“Cut! Great job!”

We silently exchanged triumphant fists. This was healing. That must be why teachers train their students.

“Good job, everyone!”
“Everyone, stay ready and don’t remove makeup, just in case!”

Amid the busy crew, I felt proud and took my place. Extras bowed and found their spots.

But… why am I sitting here?

[Jealous.]

Don’t look. I won’t.

[Can you see me?]
“No.”
[…]

Damn.

Reflexively, I responded kindly. Next to me sat a ghost, looking like it had survived the Japanese invasions of Korea. Of course, it couldn’t really be that old; otherwise, it would have ascended or faded into smoke.

But not just that. The ghost wore a militia uniform, a knife in its chest, one hand holding a blade, the other gripping a tattered script.

[I dreamed of being a star.]
“Then it’s not too late. Ascend now and become a star in the sky.”
[I prepared a lot… right before debut… sob.]

Ah, so that’s why it became a ghost. A lingering spirit, probably died right before achieving a dream. This set being a historical drama studio, it made sense.

[To perform this role, I even studied martial arts…]
“Already mentioned. Taekwondo, Judo, Hapkido, Kendo, total 18th-degree… why this meme of 18th-degree keeps coming up after 17-1?!”
[It’s real! Even Seoul Action School praised my acting…]

By now, I could almost hear my ears bleeding from the shouting.

“What!”

What? What happened? People approached the director, bowing… clearly, something exploded. My day’s pay better not be affected…

Director Kim looked exasperated.

“He was arrested for hit-and-run?”
“Yes. Just now at the police station…”
“Ha… the assistant director got hit by a car, and the idol cameo also hit someone? What a goddamn messy day! Didn’t he hit our assistant director?”
“No, not that.”
“Ugh…”

Amid the chaos, Gamdong spoke cautiously.

“Though it’s disappointing the cameo failed, can we cut it and just use the scene as background for the brothel? There’s no time or place to reschedule the cameo.”
“Writer Choi will foam at that.”
“Huh?”
“It was a leftover scene meant to satisfy some regret by keeping a role that was supposed to be cut.”

Gamdong stepped back. He understood the writer’s intention to fill the scene, even as a minor role.

“Call Chief Kim.”
“Chief Kim?”
“Among today’s extras, anyone suitable for a minor role? Good-looking, and lines aren’t too awkward.”
“Well… the scenes are beggar and brothel scenes, so…”

The casting director froze, a face coming to mind.

“Do we have someone?”

Director Kim’s eyes lit up.

“Yes, handsome!”
“Really? Where?”

The casting director turned, Kim’s head followed, and Gamdong’s gaze wavered in worry.

Scrub, scrub.

Not the sound of fussing.

Squeak, squeak, squeak.

Not plates being washed either.

A voice came through.

“Why is he so handsome?”

Uh… well… thanks, I guess?