chapter 20

Chapter 20. Rising Popularity

So-hyun, who had entered the apartment assuming it was empty, was startled by her brother's voice.

"Oh…? Oppa, you didn't go to the academy?"

"No, I was waiting for the gas inspection."

So-hyun, looking slightly flustered, scratched her head and called out to her friends, "Guys, come in. This is my oppa."

Her friends, who had been hesitating at the entrance, unsure whether to enter, bowed their heads and entered at So-hyun's call.

"Hello, I'm Ye-ji, So-hyun's friend."

"Oh, nice to meet you."

Ye-ji looked up to see So-hyun's brother and froze.

"…Huh?"

Her friend, Se-hee, bumped into Ye-ji's back as she stopped abruptly.

"Ouch! What the heck? Why did you stop?"

"Ahhh!… Cha Woo-joo?" Ye-ji shrieked.

"What? Who's Cha Woo-joo? Whoa, he's handsome." Se-hee, who had just entered, gasped at Yeon-woo's appearance.

"What, what?! So-hyun, why is Cha Woo-joo in your living room?!"

So-hyun, looking flustered, scratched the back of her head. "I told you, he's my oppa… I thought he was out."

"…Wait, Ryu Yeon-woo, Ryu So-hyun. Whoa, your oppa?" Ye-ji's face flushed as she recalled the name of the actor she was currently obsessed with, the one who played Cha Woo-joo.

"No way! Is this real? Really?"

"What, what?! Who is he?!" Se-hee, who had followed them in, shook Ye-ji, demanding an explanation.

Yeon-woo, watching their exchange with an amused smile, spoke again, "You said your name is Ye-ji, right? And your friend too, thank you for being friends with So-hyun." He smiled warmly.

Ye-ji took a step back, then suddenly lunged forward, as if the backward movement had been to gain momentum.

"Oppa! I'm a huge fan! I've watched every episode of 'Summer's Closet' live since the premiere! This is amazing! Really!"

"Oh, um, thank you, haha." Yeon-woo, slightly flustered by the enthusiastic fan in his living room, thanked her.

Ye-ji glared at her friend, Se-hee, who was still asking questions. "Yoon Se-hee, I recommended 'Summer's Closet' to you so many times! This oppa is the male lead!"

"Um, not the main lead, the second lead," Yeon-woo corrected, muttering, "The male lead is Jin-wook hyung…"

However, the girls, starstruck by the actor from their favorite drama, seemed oblivious to his correction.

"So-hyun! How could you not tell me your oppa is Cha Woo-joo?! I sent you so many screenshots!"

"Um, I guess I missed the timing?" So-hyun winked, smiling awkwardly.

After an impromptu fan meeting in his living room, complete with photos, autographs, and the full fan service experience, Yeon-woo finally managed to ask So-hyun to deal with the gas inspection and left for acting practice.

He arrived at the acting academy wearing a mask, knocked on the door, and entered the director's office.

"Welcome, our superstar," Jung Chul-min greeted him playfully, bowing theatrically.

"Haha, very funny, sir."

"Word has spread. All the students and parents coming for consultations these days are asking about you," Jung Chul-min said, beaming, his eyes full of pride.

He recalled the first time Yeon-woo and his father came for a consultation. He had expected Yeon-woo to become famous, given his looks and his rapidly improving acting skills. However, he hadn't anticipated such rapid growth and a major role in a drama so soon.

"What a lucky find."

Uncomfortable with the intense, almost adoring gaze, Yeon-woo quickly changed the subject. "Any troublemakers lately?"

"Students? I don't teach many directly anymore. I mostly teach the university prep class, which I've been doing for a while. Ms. Min and Mr. Kim handle the new students."

Just then, a staff member knocked and entered. Her expression was initially troubled, but it brightened into a wide smile as she saw Yeon-woo.

"Director, Ms. Min… Oh! Yeon-woo, you're here!"

"Hello, haha."

Jung Chul-min asked the staff member, who was clearly delighted to see Yeon-woo, "What's wrong with Ms. Min?"

"Ah, yes, it seems she was in a traffic accident."

Chul-min and Yeon-woo looked at her in surprise.

"An accident? Was it serious?"

"No, not really. She's fine, no injuries, but her car is pretty badly damaged, so it'll take some time to deal with the aftermath. But she has the beginner's class today."

Chul-min nodded. "Well, that's a relief. Alright, I'll take over her class."

The staff member left, and after a moment of thought, Chul-min looked at Yeon-woo. "How about you take over her class, Yeon-woo?"

"Sir? Me? Teach a class?"

Chul-min encouraged him, saying it was just a beginner's class focusing on breathing and vocalization exercises, and who better to teach it than a working actor like Yeon-woo?

"I don't know if I'm qualified. I don't want to do a bad job and cause trouble for the students."

"Trouble? They'll be thrilled! Do me a favor and save my face."

"Hmm, I've never taught before, but since it's a beginner's class, I'll give it a try." Yeon-woo was actually intrigued by the idea, and he felt it was the least he could do for Chul-min, his generous mentor.

"Alright, I'm sure you'll do great, but call me if you have any problems."

Yeon-woo organized his thoughts, recalling what he had learned from Chul-min and his own experiences on set, and headed to the classroom.

As he opened the door, the students, who had been stretching or chatting, all turned to look at him.

"Oh my god!"

"Whoa! It's Cha Woo-joo!"

"Is this real life?"

Half of them froze, covering their mouths with their hands, while a few approached Yeon-woo. One student in the corner, pretending to be indifferent, glanced at him while wearing earphones.

Yeon-woo greeted the students who approached him and walked onto the small stage at the front of the classroom.

"Hello everyone, I'm Ryu Yeon-woo, and I recently debuted in 'Summer's Closet.' I'll be your instructor for today."

Yes!!!!

Cheers erupted among the students.

Even the student who had been listening to music took off his earphones and paid attention.

"Ms. Min had to reschedule due to a personal matter, so I'm filling in for her. Can someone tell me what you were working on last class?"

"We were practicing breaking down lines for delivery!" a male student in the front row raised his hand and said.

"Thank you," Yeon-woo replied with a smile. The student whispered to his friend, "That's what a celebrity should look like."

"Breaking down lines is crucial, even during actual filming."

Yeon-woo taught them diligently, demonstrating his own techniques and sharing his experiences from the set.

"Wow, this is amazing. Worth every penny." Ji Soo-hyun, who, like most beginners, had been losing interest after three months of basic exercises without any actual acting, was captivated.

"The lecture is great, but isn't it enough just to look at his face?" Yoo-jin had enrolled in the academy after hearing that it was where Cha Woo-joo had trained.

"Yoo-jin, you've achieved your goal. You wanted to meet Cha Woo-joo, didn't you?"

"My heart is racing."

Yeon-woo continued teaching passionately for two hours. Explaining the basics helped him solidify his own understanding of the concepts.

"Alright, let's wrap up for today."

The students stood up and bowed.

"Thank you for your hard work."

"You've worked hard too."

As soon as he finished, the students, led by Yoo-jin and Soo-hyun, rushed towards Yeon-woo.

"I'm a huge fan! I enrolled here just to see you, oppa!"

"Haha, thank you." Yeon-woo, now used to such requests, calmly responded to the flurry of photo and autograph requests.

"Is it over?" Jung Chul-min entered the classroom.

"These kids, they're not even looking at me. They have hearts in their eyes." He smiled, watching the students crowding around Yeon-woo.

Time flew by, and the Lunar New Year holiday was approaching.

Yeon-woo and his family were preparing to travel to Seoul early in the morning to visit their extended family. They had already spent two days with his maternal grandmother in Daejeon.

While most of Yeon-woo's memories had returned, he used the lingering aftereffects of his "amnesia" as an excuse for not remembering his relatives' faces.

He had spent the previous evening studying family photos with his father, memorizing the faces of his relatives from their wedding pictures. For Yeon-woo, who had trained to memorize the faces of civilians in operational zones, this was a simple task.

"Mom, do we have to leave so early?" So-hyun whined, half-asleep.

This was their first Lunar New Year trip to Seoul since moving to Daejeon last year.

At a rest stop on the way, Yeon-woo, despite wearing a hat, was spotted by fans and quickly surrounded.

"Oh my goodness, our Yeon-woo is so popular! I can't believe it." His parents were witnessing their son's popularity firsthand.

His father, Cheol-woong, acting like a manager, escorted Yeon-woo back to the car, and they finally managed to leave.

"Oppa, you'll need a mask too from now on."

"Haha, it's just because there were a lot of students, so they recognized me," Yeon-woo said, scratching his head.

"Oppa, there are students everywhere." So-hyun's pointed remark made Yeon-woo nod in agreement.

Finally, they arrived at his uncle's apartment in Seoul. They parked the car and went upstairs, where his uncle and aunt greeted them with open arms.