Rebirth: King to Superstar

"So your shooting starts from Sunday?" He checked the date and noticed it was already Thursday. 

"Yeah, I'll be going on Sunday morning to the shooting site and get to know everything there. My first scene will probably not be on the first day but it would be good to show my presence there and leave a good first impression on everybody." 

Joon-won nodded and felt what she said was true. It's mainly true for her quirky personality. So leaving a good first impression was good. Her relationship with the other actors would also have a solid start, making her shoot more peaceful. 

"That's good. Do not do anything which would tick off other people the wrong way. You have tendencies to get carried away during times. Just do your best and enjoy your first experience on a set. Also, take in the criticism you might get in a good way and improve. Don't retaliate against the director when he tells something." He told her like the old man he was inside. 

"STOP. STOP. Stop right there. You sound like an old man once again. What's with you and the sudden switch of personality. It is so irritating to hear someone younger than you speak like that. So stop. Ugh, I called to inform you of something good and I got lectured for it." She groaned and shouted at him. 

Joon-won couldn't help but sigh at himself. He still didn't remove that mentality of reminding people. He knew what she said was probably true, hearing the words you generally hear from an old man in the 70s or 80s from a young man in his early 20s. 

"Alright, that was my mistake. Just don't do stupid things there and take care of yourself. This is after all, just your starting point in the industry. Go and outshine everyone on set." He tried to encourage her and was terrible at it.

And as he expected, Hea-Jung laughed on the other side and said, "Oh god do not try to encourage me. It sounds so fake, you reminding me was so much more natural. Well anyway, don't worry, I'll do my best. Believe your senior sister a little. I'm much more mature than you think, my little brother. Alright anyway, I gotta call a few others before they sleep. Bye for now." And she cut the call. 

Joon-won shook his head at seeing his phone and placed it back in his pocket. He knew he was already treating her as a friend and cared for her. She was always helpful and even irritating in some scenarios, but she always had a kind heart and knew it. So he didn't want to be as mean as he was in the first few days of meeting her and at least treat her more human. 

[That is probably the best decision you took since coming to this world. You should at least make better evaluations of people around you. This girl, Hea-Jung, is very helpful to you and also has a kind heart. Take my suggestion and be a better friend to her. Also, take my suggestions seriously, you ignored my suggestion about her before and suffered from the audition loss.] The system's irritated voice sounded in his ears. 

Joon-won nodded and thought the same as the system. He should stop treating everyone around him as inferior and dumb people. It was a type of mechanism he automatically developed after crossing over to a new world. He developed a loner personality because he thought he didn't fit in with society well. So he decided to stop these thoughts and just live normally like how he did in his past life before becoming a king. 

"Was that girlfriend, young man? It looks like she is an actress. Take care of her properly. People tend to get blinded by the fame and money which comes with that job." The old driver in front of him advised as he looked at him through the mirror. Most of the cab drivers were old men who loved to talk. 

Joon-won shook his head and replied, "No, it's just a friend. She got her first role. That's all." The driver nodded and didn't continue with that discussion. The car remained silent as it drove through the streets of Arios city, eventually making it to the university. 

Joon-won transferred the money and started walking home. Reaching home, he took a quick shower to remove the alcohol stench he had on him and jumped to bed. He was very tired and knew the rest of his holidays will also be tiring with the morning shift and learning in the afternoon. He exhaled in exhaustion and closed his eyes. 

The next day was pretty normal with him doing his usual stuff, early morning jog and workout, and the shift in the supermarket. He walked out of the supermarket, waved to Gah Soo, who was on the chair resting, and walked towards the university for a cab like a day before. 

It didn't take him long to reach the drama house and after paying the driver; he walked into the theatre and made his way towards the costume room. As he entered, he heard Pak Shin's voice, "Ah, Joon-won, you are finally here. We are short-handed. Kar Jung, go to that young man there. He can adjust your costume. His skills are pretty good." Pointing at him.

Joon-won looked at the packed room and took a deep breath. Many people were wearing their costumes waiting for it to get fixed while there were only 4 people to fix them. He looked towards Pak shin and saw who he was talking to. 

It was a middle-aged man who was probably in his late 30s or early 49s. He looked calm and had a smile on his face as he nodded at Pak shin and walked towards him. The guy looked like a regular middle-aged man who minded his own business and was kind to everyone around him. 

As he got closer, he heard him speak, "Shall we go to another room? It's packed here for you to check my costume." Joon-won nodded and quickly grabbed his needle and thread set before nodding towards him. 

Both walked out and went to another room. There weren't many people in the room. The people in the room were busy on their phones or their scripts. Kar Jung looked at him and said, "Well, it's better here than in there. Shall we get started?" 

Joon-won nodded, and Kar Jung asked him to check his pants once. His costume was a bit fancier and looked like his role was either royalty or nobility in the drama. Joon-won bent down as Kar Jung sat on a chair and looked around while Joon-won was making a few adjustments to the dress. 

"You a new kid? I didn't see you around before." Kar Jung smiled and looked down as Joon-won continued to work. 

Joon-won nodded and replied, "Yes, I joined the theatre yesterday." 

"Oh, yesterday? I didn't come in yesterday. So that's why I didn't catch you around. You permanent in the costume area or temporary worker?" 

"I joined to act and learn more about acting. I came late for the auditions so the boss asked me to help around. I know how to make costumes so I'm helping around. That's it, anywhere else that needs fixing?" He stood up after fixing the pants and making them fit perfectly. 

Kar Jung stood up and checked his pants before giving him a thumbs up. He took off a piece of his upper clothing, something like the vest, and handed it to Joon-won.

"My shoulders feel a bit tight. Can you lose them up by an inch or two? You are really good. If you didn't tell me that you came here to act I would have thought you were a genius in this field. Do you have experience making costumes before this?" Before sitting back on a chair. 

Joon-won took the vest, sat on another chair, and replied while getting to work, "You can say so." 

Kar Jung hummed and continued to look at Joon-won with an interesting gaze. Joon-won noticed it and asked, "What do you want? Don't stare like that, it's rude." 

Kar Jung laughed and said, "You are a very weird young man. I saw many youths come into this drama club with many motives and I could see through those young ones pretty easily. But you, when I see you, it's almost like I don't see a young man in his early 20s who came to a drama club to learn. I see an old man who came here for fun."

He laughed and continued, "I know it might sound crazy, but that's what I felt. Now don't get angry with me for that. It's just a joke." He patted Joon-won's back while joking around. 

Joon-won just nodded and gave the vest back and said, "I know, I get that a lot. Now check if it fits or not."