CH58

Ian thought of Austin's notebook.

Hollywood rumors quickly crossed his mind.

'There's no strange rumor.'

No matter how much he tried to recall, there wasn't anything scandalous.

Star syndrome? This could be somewhat understandable. Even ordinary people get told they're "worth their face value," so imagine how much more a popular star would hear it.

'Yeah, that's pretty much gracefully insane.'

Ian couldn't understand why someone who's practically a stranger would give a gift, but it was unexpected for Ben as well, who whistled shortly after looking into the box.

"What's all this? There are games of all kinds and plenty of toys. It'll be a task to carry it all."

As Ben rummaged through the box, Damian approached with a scowl.

"You still lack manners. Why are you touching that when the owner hasn't even laid hands on it?"

"You're not wrong."

"Hey, whose side are you on?"

Why argue sides here? It's hard to tell who's dating who.

Ben, with a sullen expression, placed a hand on Ian's head.

"You don't know him, but he doesn't like this sort of thing at all. He even says to donate the money instead of Christmas gifts."

"…Really?"

Ian's gaze moved behind Damian, where someone who claimed to be a secretary was desperately shaking their head.

'Really normal people are having a hard time, including me.'

Ian smiled like a child, thinking Ben would have retorted 'You?' if he heard.

"Thank you for the gifts! I really like them!"

"Told you, right? Ha, and you knew nothing."

Ben was about to retort to the sneer when Ian cut him off, cautioning him to be more observant, then asked, "But why the sudden gifts?"

"Since we're going to be filming together. Thought it might help us get a bit closer. It's really no big deal to me. But…"

Damian hesitated before continuing.

"Was the peacock comment meant for me?"

He had heard it after all.

Instead of making excuses, Ian apologized cleanly.

"I'm sorry. Did it upset you?"

Expecting a harsh reply, the response was surprisingly mild.

"No, I'm fine. It was about me, after all. Mhm."

Damian nodded to himself before leaving, telling Ian to do well in the shoot, and Ian blinked in surprise.

From utterly despicable individuals to those so nice it's intimidating, Ian felt he had seen all sorts of people and never felt lacking in judging them.

"Wow, I really can't figure this one out."

Ian encountered a challenging figure that made all his past experiences seem insignificant.

***

As the shooting for Alien Hunter began in earnest, a hectic schedule unfolded.

Aiming to finish all filming by the end of the year with Invisible Children and a movie undergoing intensive shooting for two months to cut costs.

Juggling between two sets was tough enough, without neglecting studies.

"Are you sure you're okay? If it's hard, don't hide it, speak up."

"Not tired? If it's hard to say, I'll talk to the director for you. It's more troublesome if you collapse."

The schedule was tough for a child actor, causing concern among those around.

'I'm really okay.'

There's no way he would find acting, which he enjoys, burdensome. If anything, it's a shame he couldn't stay on set longer because of his age.

HIs body proved that the concern was unnecessary as he easily managed the schedule, and the people around him were impressed.

As the shooting went smoothly, dramas entering their regular seasons began to air one by one, and Invisible Children aired its first episode in mid-October.

– Invisible Children Season 2 off to a smooth start with 3.78 million viewers!

– Invisible Children returns with rave reviews. What to watch for?

– The breathtaking cohabitation of the undying Noah and a new enemy!

Hardly anyone who watched the drama, especially the season finale where Noah lured the zombies, believed Noah was actually dead.

It was enough to draw in viewers who wanted to see for themselves, and Invisible Children received praise beyond expectations.

– Noah! You were alive after all?!

└Would've been more surprised if they killed off an Emmy nominee, right?

└I at least thought he'd be disabled.

└Shut up! Noah is fine!

– The production team says they're already shooting the latter half!

└So what? We only get one episode a week.

└There will be breaks and cancellations. Haven't you ever watched a drama before?

└Okay, who wants to join me in raiding HMO?

└Leave the reporting to me, bro!

Invisible Children continued the sensation from the last season, and managing two shootings was no problem.

The only troubling issue in this smooth-sailing situation was one.

Seeing Ian with a box, Ben asked, tiredly, "Again? What is it this time."

"Baseball cards. I guess he heard us talking about baseball last time."

It seemed Damian overheard them discussing sports that would be good to enjoy with a son.

Since other actors also joined the conversation, it was lively enough that he probably didn't eavesdrop intentionally.

"What did he say this time?"

"He said he didn't know which team I liked, so he prepared them all."

"Ha ha ha, that's dedication. Pure dedication."

'This guy is laughing now?'

Ian, glaring at Ben, turned his gaze to the set.

"If you're going to die, die alone. Rescue? That's suicide."

Alex's cynical and charismatic line resonated heavily.

There was nothing to criticize about the performance, and on set, along with Ian, he was the person with the least NGs.

'He's definitely sane when acting.'

He couldn't understand why he kept bringing these things. It's not like he's a cat repaying a favor.

Ben stopped laughing and joked.

"Maybe he's giving you these gifts as a prank? People are asking if you've found Damian's weak spot."

"That's just a joke. He's not that sly, and do you know how proud he looks every time he gives something?"

If it weren't for that expression, he would have refused a long time ago.

"Hmm, still going on about the peacock?"

"Still. He even put a peacock plush in his car now."

"Peacock. Maybe that's the hint?"

Ian thought it was just another conversation, but Ben laid out a plausible explanation.

"This kind of gift offensive isn't normal. He's clearly trying to gain your favor."

"We'll see about that."

At first, he suspected the gifts were a form of reprimand for teasing, but after receiving a few, it was clear that wasn't the case.

"But why would he want to make a good impression on you? Because of Director Davis? That might make sense before casting, but not now."

"Right?"

"Peacocks are males. Maybe he's trying to get close to you because of a girl you're friends with?"

A girl I'm friends with?

"Ayla?"

"Are you crazy!"

"Uh, it's just a joke. A joke."

Ian barely escaped from Ben, who was grabbing his head in frustration.

It's definitely not Ayla. Even though it's not widely known that she's pregnant, it's a well-known fact through paparazzi that the two of them are in a good relationship.

As Ian pondered, Ben gave him the answer.

"What about Charlotte?"

"Ah, Lotti. Lotti?!"

Ian was surprised by the unexpected name.

Charlotte is indeed beautiful, comes from a good family, and is capable enough to run her own business.

'Is it really because of Lotti?'

Laying out the conditions, she definitely has everything a man could like, aside from her past as a Hollywood bad girl.

"How about that? A good deduction, right?"

"It does make sense."

An odd misunderstanding had arisen without Damian knowing.

While waiting for the shooting and chatting with Ben, Ian moved when his phone rang.

"Nick? What's up?"

-Sorry, are you in the middle of shooting?

"I'm on standby, so it's okay. What's going on?"

He hesitated a bit before bringing up the reason for his call.

-I hate to ask, but could you come over to my house one more time? My grandfather wants to see you.

The image of the old man, thinking only of his grandson even in his dying moments, came to mind.

It felt like the poignant fantasy was unfolding once again, and his answer was predetermined.

"Okay. I'll come to visit."

-Really appreciate it.

After setting the appointment, he ended the call.

'So it's a farewell.'

It was time to see if the future he changed had any impact on their farewell.

***

Ian entered the house for the second time and immediately noticed the changes.

"There are pictures that weren't here last time."

"Only pictures remain, don't they? Tried to take as many as possible."

The frame on the wall showed the two grandparents and their grandchild smiling broadly.

The image of the pale, bedridden patient was so happy it made the previous condition seem irrelevant.

"That's nice."

"Isn't it?"

Ian recalled the memory he had seen in the vision. The atmosphere was completely different from that time of bleakness and despair.

As Ian entered the room, observing the warm interior of the house, a bright smile welcomed him.

"Welcome. I was worried it might be too much for you to come in your busy schedule."

"Don't worry about it. How are you feeling?"

"Not too bad," he said with a bitter smile.

Despite his words, it was easy to tell his condition was far from good.

"There's no need for that face. I'm hanging in there, even the doctor calls it a miracle."

His wrinkled eyes crinkled kindly.

'He's right, though.'

The old man's last moments he saw in the vision were in summer. Now that it's past October, calling it a miracle wasn't an exaggeration.

But miracles don't last forever.

His labored breathing and cloudy eyes indicated that parting was not far off.

"I heard the story. It's all thanks to you, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry, I thought Grandpa should know."

There's no need to apologize. If it eases his worries, he can talk about it all he wants.

Ian smiled broadly.

"You don't need to thank me. Nick is so good at what he does, I wanted him for myself."

"Still, I wanted to say thank you. It was important to me."

After finishing his words, the old man blinked heavily, clearly exhausted.

Seeing his tired expression, they left the room.

"What does the doctor say?"

"At most, a month."

A month.

Honestly, he was not sure what it feels like to wait for an end that's set in stone.

From losing a family in a moment to facing one's own death, his farewells have always been sudden.

'But it'll be just as sad, won't it?'

There are no happy farewells, only less miserable ones.

Yet, one thing was certain: compared to the future he saw in the vision, they were preparing for a better farewell.

"I wanted to say thank you, too. Without your help, I would have lied to grandpa until the end. I wouldn't have been able to show him a smiling face because of the guilt."

"Did you know? Nick, you're terrible at lying."

"Me?"

"Yeah. Grandpa probably wouldn't have been fooled anyway."

He was just suffering in silence.

Ian took one last look at the house before turning to leave.

"I should go now."

"Already?"

"I just remembered something urgent I have to do."

Yes, there really was something he needed to do.

***

In the basement, where he usually engaged in music activities, he apologized to the girl.

"Sorry, Rachel."

"Sorry? For what?"

"I'm going to write a song on my own."

The composing was Rachel's job, and the singing was his.

He had no intention of breaking this unspoken rule, but just this once, it couldn't be helped.

Rachel's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected declaration.

"Ian's going to compose?"

"Yeah. There's something I need to do."

He remembered the time he learned to compose.

-The song seems fine, but why does it feel so empty?

-It lacks soul! Is a well-functioning gearwheel art? Put your emotions into it.

They argued noisily over something that was merely a way to earn pocket money.

Put emotions into it?

'How can I do that?'

The pain of farewell, more deeply engraved than any scar, couldn't possibly be captured in a song. The terrible knot remained untangled, even with time.

Ironically, it was only after returning to the past and cutting off the root of that farewell that he was able to accept this pain.

So now, he can write the song.

"It'll be the first and last song I write. It might seem lacking to you, and it might disappoint Rachel's fans. That's why I'm apologizing in advance."

Compared to Rachel's compositions, which even critics praised, his would be crude and unimpressive.

His superficially learned skills were just that, after all.

'But I still want to play it for them.'

Even with his lacking skills, he wanted to offer some small comfort for their farewell.

Hearing the apology, Rachel smiled softly.

"We're both Rai. Don't worry about me. I'll be happy to listen to whatever you create. But do you mind if I stay and listen?"

"Of course not."

Rachel sat unobtrusively to one side, and Ian picked up the guitar.

A heart-wrenching pain revived. The years lived with a heart stitched together clumsily were expressed through the six strings.

A melancholy yet distant humming spread over the lonely melody.

The deep emotions layered on top of the clumsy melody compensated for the lack of composing skills.

Listening to the voice of a boy taking a step forward after shaking off years of pain, the girl closed her eyes.

For the first time, she immersed herself in music, relying solely on her ears, like everyone else.