CH62

It's been a while since Ian had been in Gavin's office. There was no particular reason to visit after their secret friendship was discovered by Isaac. Time had passed, which might have made it awkward, but it still felt familiar. 

"This time, while shooting, I tried to fill in what was lacking. Wouldn't it be scarier if the pupils could roll around like this? It would be great to use in the sequel."

"I'm not shooting it. I won't do it!"

Seeing Gavin cringe at the terrible alien drawing, Ian found himself nodding involuntarily. People really don't change easily.

"It's been a while, Director Middleton."

"Oh, Ian! How have you been?!"

Although Landon had formally joined the film production, there wasn't really a need for him to be on set. So, it had been a while since they had met, and he presented a sketch he had been pushing to Gavin.

"How about this? I thought this monster would be great for the sequel."

"That sounds good? Even the idea of pupils rolling around in the mouth seems fine."

"Exactly! You know your stuff. I'll definitely keep it in mind."

Gavin sighed as he watched the two of them getting along so well right away. He already regretted calling them.

"Don't hang out with that guy, come here."

"So, are you really going to reveal it?"

That's what Ian was curious about and why he came all this way.

"Yes, that's the plan."

"Why? The box office results aren't even out yet. It could perform poorly compared to the internal screening."

If the results turned out worse than expected, there was no need to reveal a plan that could be scrapped anyway.

"I've thought about it a lot. Didn't you tell me? It's just a moment of ridicule, and some might even feel more familiar with me."

"That's true."

"I've pondered whether it's worth hiding just because I'm afraid of being mocked. It turned out to be not such a big deal."

It's easy to say. Ordinary people struggle to reveal their flaws, let alone a celebrity like Gavin.

As Ian looked at him with admiration, he slightly averted his gaze.

"And I really don't want to shoot a sequel."

Considering how much Landon had troubled him during this film's preparation, Ian wondered.

'Even if he reveals that, it's going to be hard not to shoot a sequel.'

"The power of money is great. There are family-like colleagues involved, so it's hard to refuse when money is pushed forward."

Ian asked Gavin something he was curious about, trying to ignore the obvious future that was all too clear.

"What's the movie rating?"

This is very important.

Isaac caught him, so he couldn't even finish watching Season 1 of Invisible Children.

"It received an R rating."

"Oh! R rating!"

An R rating means that those under 17 cannot watch it, but they can watch it if accompanied by a guardian.

Gavin affectionately patted Ian's head, who was pleased with the news.

"But you can't watch it."

Ian stiffened like a stone.

He creaked his neck upwards, and when his eyes asked why, Gavin explained.

"The MPAA requested it during the rating review."

"From the MPAA?"

"They said they'd like you to set a good example, since a lot of kids like you."

…That's ridiculous.

"Can't we reject the request?"

"Clashing with parents and the board is a tiring affair in many ways."

This world is doomed.

***

Unlike other actors, Ian's promotional schedule was relaxed.

It would be a disaster if the child actor with a sore neck was overworked and sparked controversy.

Still, he participated in the important dates and met other actors after a long time.

Thud!

"…What's all this?"

A heavy box was placed in front of him, giving him a sense of déjà vu.

"These are things that are good for the throat. You already know about aloe, and this omija tea is also good for the throat."

"Here are the precautions."

The secretary handed over a paper densely packed with the effects and side effects of each food, along with the dosage.

This was on the level of absurd warning labels found on American products to prevent lawsuits.

"You don't need to be too moved. This kind of consideration is easy for me."

Damian boasted, to which Ian responded with a bright smile.

"Thank you. Damian, you are always so considerate."

"Of course!"

"People don't realize what a great person Damian is. Ah, do you want me to tell you how to let everyone know how fabulous you are? It's the method I use."

"A method you use?"

Damian looked intrigued.

Ian was the most popular actor on the set. Naturally, Damian was curious about his secret.

"It's simple. Just memorize the names of all the staff. People are really impressed and think it's amazing!"

Damian blinked in disbelief.

"…All of them?"

"Yes! Just about three hundred or so."

…Of course, they would think it's amazing.

The implication was remembering the names of people you only meet for a couple of months during a movie shoot.

"Easy, right?"

"Uh…? Yeah, easy."

"I knew Damian would say that. People complain so much about how it's done. You're really amazing!"

Damian felt a cold sweat running down his back as Ian's eyes sparkled.

"So, Damian, you should start doing this too. Come on, promise!"

"Promise…?"

Caught off guard, Damian had even linked pinkies before he snapped back to reality, while Ben placed a hand on Ian's head.

"Hey, has the peacock done something terribly wrong to you?"

"Nah, he's been really good to me. I just taught him a really helpful trick."

To cover the karma he had accumulated over time, such an effort was necessary.

Unaware of this grand plan, Damian seemed half out of his wits throughout the promotional schedule.

The promotional schedule went smoothly, and a journalist who had been invited asked Ian a question.

"Do you have any hopes for this movie?"

It was a cliché question.

Usually, one would expect a reply like hoping many people enjoy it.

But Ian's answer exceeded expectations.

"I hope this movie does incredibly well so a sequel can be made."

"Cough!"

Gavin coughed dryly as Ian smiled broadly.

"I think the director hopes so too!"

"Oh!"

Ian ignored Gavin's expression full of betrayal.

'If it goes well, maybe I can watch the sequel in theaters.'

A small wish, worth the sacrifice.

Of course, after the promotional schedule ended, he had to endure Gavin's lamentations tinged with a sense of betrayal.

***

The results for Alien Hunter, which someone had desperately hoped to be moderately successful, were in.

-Indeed, Director Davis! Alien Hunter is a box office hit!

-Experts predict global earnings of over $500 million!

-The meeting of two masters. A beautiful harmony of splendid action and terrible monsters.

It was a massive success.

It would be strange if a sequel didn't follow.

In the midst of breaking box office records, Gavin played his final card.

-'I'm Phasmophobic,' admits Director Davis.

The article contained honest revelations about his fears and the difficulties of making this movie, referencing those who had tried to keep his secret, skillfully crafted into a compelling confession that sparked a significant reaction.

-Wow, it must have been hard to reveal a secret you've kept for so long.

└Honestly, it was hard to relate, but I can tell how much effort went into making the movie.

└I can't watch scary things at all, but I'm thinking about seeing this movie.

-Hehe, he really was a scaredy-cat. How could he receive help from a kid?

└Ian could dine with zombies, he's that brave!

└Ah, Noah! Please come back!

└Teacher, you shouldn't do this here.

-I think the success of this movie is thanks to the director's weaknesses.

└Right. It means he knows how to make it scarier.

└I'm really looking forward to what kind of work the sequel will produce with all this experience.

Although the reactions were not exactly what Gavin had hoped for, in the end, Alien Hunter grossed over $500 million, and investors chased Gavin for a sequel.

After the movie's promotion, Ian's schedule as an actor cleared up, but two new things emerged.

"How about it. Is the song okay?"

"You always said it was good."

"But none are like Say Goodbye, which made it to the Billboard charts."

It was not even the main chart, just a secondary one at best.

Moreover, the song's completion couldn't simply be compared.

"It's mostly thanks to the video."

The video of Nick and Bruno preparing for an eternal farewell held more value than the song itself.

Many people visited Bruno's grave after hearing the song, indicating its profound impact.

"Why? The song was well-received, wasn't it?"

"…Well-received?"

Indeed, there were direct accolades from professionals.

-The unusually rustic composition emphasized the appeal of the voice. It can be seen as a very clever choice.

-Imperfection led to perfection, in my opinion.

Dorothy, with whom Ian often corresponded, also left long praises.

-Wow! How could you think to make something imperfect on purpose? Isn't that impressive? I would have tried to make it perfect.

…Sorry it turned out to be so imperfect.

Each mistaken compliment felt like a wound every time he read it.

"Let's record it. It's the second album, right?"

"Yeah! But is my voice okay?"

"You can sing anytime."

His voice had been changing for just over a year. He was just starting to feel the changes in his voice, but singing as Rai posed no problem.

'Was it a gift from Grandpa Bruno?'

Maybe he really liked Say Goodbye and left Rai's voice for him. He sometimes thought about that.

If the first task was using his free time to work on music with Rachel, the second was something new for Ian as well.

"Gyahah! Boo-hoo-hoo…"

Evan, fiddling with his hands, laughed brightly.

"…Please don't laugh while we're changing diapers."

Ian sighed as the diaper grew heavier.

Ben often compelled him to babysit Evan when he had nothing else to do, and experience had taught him to expect a wet diaper.

Ian, now adept at changing diapers, shook his head as Evan grinned at him.

'Can't even be mad at him.'

Given his parents' looks, he was incredibly cute, and he seemed to really like it when Ian was around.

It was like the saying went, it's impossible to dislike him.

"Awoo! Bububu!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Ian had learned many languages, but he hadn't yet mastered the ability to interpret baby talk.

Ian, responding half-heartedly, was called by Ayla from behind.

"Ian, aren't you tired? Want something to drink?"

"Thank you…"

As Ian began to express his gratitude, he trailed off at the sound that burst from Evan's mouth.

"Ian… Ian!"

Clang!

Ayla dropped her drink as Ian's name came out before 'mama', prompting an awkward smile from him.

"…That wasn't meant for me, right?"

"Ian! Abububu!"

…Yep, he called his name properly.

As a result of stealing Evan's first word, Ian was banned from getting too close for a while.

***

February 2012.

Hollywood was abuzz with hot news.

-China agrees to expand screen quota treaty!

-Hollywood launches full-scale strategy to target China!

The relaxation of China's regulations was a huge deal for Hollywood.

The annual limit of 20 foreign films allowed into China increased to 34, and the revenue-sharing percentage jumped from 13% to 25%.

This was the moment when China emerged as a land of gold for Hollywood.

-Ian, have you heard?! China really has relaxed its regulations!

"Yes, I've checked it too."

-I've been keeping up with the industry news, and they're already busily preparing films targeting China. There will be more opportunities for you, Ian.

This was a conversation Ian had already had with Austin when they signed the contract. A time had come in Hollywood, targeting the Chinese market, when Asian actors were given more opportunities.

'Of course, this is a double-edged sword.'

Too often, the pursuit of success in China led to the essence of the films being lost, a classic case of missing the forest for the trees.

Avoiding such pitfalls when choosing projects wasn't easy.

'I'll be fine.'

Ian was already aware of the films ruined by terrible stories. For him, it was simply a window of opportunity opening.

-There's no rush now as we are just starting to plan projects. Please take care of your throat for now.

"Understood."

Ian fiddled with his throat.

Even though it had been unruly, the condition of his throat was stabilizing. At least he could tell that the end of the waiting period was approaching.

If the easing of regulations in China was a massive change everyone knew about, there were also emerging changes that had yet to gain attention.

-OTT company Netflix challenges itself with original drama.

-Netflix takes on self-production. Can it succeed?

Netflix, which started as a DVD rental store and moved to streaming, had declared a challenge in self-production but had not yet garnered much attention.

People were skeptical about its chances of success.

'But it will be a huge success.'

Ian knew well the impact of this news. For countries like Korea, which had been isolated, it was a stepping stone to the global stage, and it marked the beginning of massive capital flowing into self-production.

As big changes unfolded at the end of 2012,

"Ah! Ah-ah!"

With his voice coming out smoothly, Ian smiled broadly.

Finally, his voice change had ended.

It had been two years.