Life is Easier If You're Handsome-Chapter 182

I felt great.

I had noticed it before when things happened with Yerim. After something like that, my condition was always excessively good.

Was it like an overflow of energy?

It was the end of June.

The final day of filming for True Hero.

The atmosphere on set was celebratory, thanks to the ratings of Our Fake Wedding.

"43%?! I didn’t even know dramas could break 40% these days!"

"Wasn’t it 24 episodes? I wondered why they took such a bold risk... but damn, the numbers prove it was worth it."

"If the drama is doing this well, that means our movie is going to blow up too, right?"

"Let’s aim for the number one Korean film of all time! We’re taking down Yi Sun-sin!"

"If we actually beat that... we’d be making history."

When one project succeeds, it tends to create a ripple effect, boosting everything connected to it.

That’s why everyone was genuinely celebrating the success of Our Fake Wedding.

"Maybe that’s why Donghu’s face is shining so much today!"

"Seriously, it’s glowing? He looks even... even more handsome than usual."

"It’s like looking at an enlightened Buddha... why does he seem so holy?"

That was because it was holy.

I thought to myself as I avoided Seokho hyung’s subtle, knowing gaze.

'Why is his intuition always this sharp?'

He definitely knew everything that had happened.

But the wisdom to keep it to himself?

That man was a damn serpent in the best way.

'Guess that’s why he runs the agency.'

But the lively, lighthearted mood didn’t last long.

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Soon, the set was buzzing again, preparing for the final shoot.

I sat back in the van, leisurely sipping my coffee, watching the organized chaos outside.

Knock, knock.

Someone tapped on the van window.

"Hey, kid."

It was Taegun hyung, who played a police officer in the movie.

"Hyung?"

"You’re heading to training camp in October, right?"

"How did you know?"

"Is there anyone here who doesn’t know? You think we wouldn’t be aware of our lead actor’s schedule?"

He wasn’t wrong.

I was scheduled to enter basic military training in October for about five weeks.

After that, I’d be focusing on boxing for at least two years.

'Though I already planned to get out of that with an Asian Games gold medal.'

The 2018 Asian Games were set for late August and would end in early September.

The boxing matches were scheduled within that timeframe as well.

So, I wouldn’t be active for a while.

The first half of next year would be dedicated to training again.

"You’ll be out by November, so that’s when you’ll join us for the movie promotions."

"...Hyung, how are you this accurate? I thought I was talking to Seokho hyung for a second."

"It’s only natural to know my fellow agency actor’s schedule."

"...Huh?"

What?

I blinked, confused, as I stared at Taegun hyung.

He casually climbed into the van, completely unfazed.

"If I transfer, I get a van like this too, right?"

"...Excuse me?"

The conversation sped up so suddenly that I struggled to keep up.

Today was supposed to be True Hero’s final shoot.

'Was today supposed to be a contract negotiation meeting too?'

No, if there was a meeting, Seokho hyung should be handling it.

Why was he talking to me?

'Well, I do hold more shares in the agency than him...'

But that wasn’t the issue right now.

Regardless, Taegun hyung kept talking.

"Jinwoo’s projects have never failed since he started working with you."

"Jinwoo hyung?"

"Yeah."

Well, that was obvious.

Jinwoo hyung had one major condition in his contract:

Kim Donghu must pick his projects for him.

As long as he followed that, failure was impossible.

SIMS’ script evaluation was absolute.

'So, is he saying he wants to benefit from that as well?'

I understood how crucial it was for actors to pick the right projects.

No matter how hard you worked, how much time you invested—

If the project flopped, it would affect your future roles, your reputation, and your pay.

For an actor, losing ticket power was terrifying.

"That’s why I’m moving to Veritas."

"...Hyung, that’s a huge decision. Should you really be telling me this so casually?"

Jinwoo hyung and Taegun hyung...

Both of them were symbolic figures in terms of appearance.

'Me for the teens, Jinwoo hyung for the twenties, Taegun hyung for the thirties.'

It was embarrassing to admit,

but we were basically a lineup of generational flower boys.

Well, until I grew out of my twenties, at least.

Still, they were actors who held a unique position in the industry.

And now Han Taegun was transferring to our agency?

'That means all three of us would be national-level actors under the same company.'

Our agency might have few actors, but if this happened,

it would set a completely different standard.

'Even our only model is currently dominating France.'

Now we’d have three actors at the top of the industry?

That would change the game.

'Wouldn’t this make our agency’s image kind of weird?'

But honestly, there was no need to overthink it.

"Of course I can tell you. It’s you we’re talking about. So, what do you think about me transferring?"

"I don’t mind. If we’re in the same agency, we’ll just get closer. That’s great."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. Besides, Seokho hyung will take care of everything anyway."

After all, Seokho hyung would handle it perfectly.

***

Thirty seconds before the final shoot,

Director Lee Seong-deok took one last look around the set, steadying himself.

‘Filming the final scene last...’

Somehow, things had worked out that way.

If you thought about it, it was actually the best approach.

Since this was the ending of the story,

it was the peak of emotions.

And the more time the actors had spent immersed in the script, the better their performances would be.

‘Besides, True Hero is all about emotional conflict until the very end.’

Vrrrrr!

He glanced at the set, carefully crafted for this moment.

It had been meticulously planned and reviewed multiple times.

To capture the most desperate moment.

"Action!"

And with that, the signal flare was fired.

The public called the Hero "the true judge of this era."

But the police had a different stance.

To them, he was a clear-cut serial killer.

A monstrous criminal that had to be put behind bars at all costs.

A relentless chase.

The police, bound by legal procedures,

and the Hero, delivering justice outside the law.

Their speeds were fundamentally different.

The police pursued but could never catch him.

The Hero was pursued, but never truly felt like he was being chased.

And finally—at the very end—

Detective Choi Yongsoo and the Hero stood face-to-face.

Whooooosh!

Just before the camera’s red light flickered on,

a pre-arranged water cannon sprayed the scene.

A rainy night.

At opposite ends of a dark tunnel, the detective and the Hero stood.

Their silhouettes starkly contrasted.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three gunshots rang through the air.

It was a signal—to alert those nearby that something was happening here.

"...No more blanks. The rest are live rounds."

A declaration of intent.

A warning that he would execute the criminal right here.

But the Hero only sneered.

"Now? After all this time?"

"What?"

"You cover up other crimes, protect criminals at all costs... but now, now you want to take a stand?"

It was laughable.

They shielded the worst of the worst,

but the one who punished them was treated as a criminal.

The absurdity of it all made him want to laugh.

So he did.

A laugh that could make someone’s stomach twist.

"What the hell is so funny?"

"Look at yourself. Look at how badly you want to catch me."

When had the police ever moved with such passion?

When victims begged them to catch those monsters, they talked about "procedure" and "waiting their turn."

"But now? Now you’re obsessed with catching me, while still protecting the real bastards?"

The people’s shield, protecting criminals.

The Hero’s words trailed off, and his laughter vanished.

Step. Step.

His footsteps echoed against the rain-soaked pavement as he moved deeper into the tunnel.

Towards the emergency exit.

"Don’t move!"

Bang!

A shot was fired, but it missed.

The distance was too great, the rain obscured visibility,

and the tunnel itself was too dark. A direct hit was impossible.

Still, Detective Choi had expected at least some hesitation.

But the Hero didn’t falter for a second.

Instead, he dragged a bound criminal forward.

"Male, 35 years old. No prior convictions.

Charges: Rape and arson resulting in corpse desecration."

Slowly, he recited the criminal’s record.

"Know why he wasn’t caught? Because you guys were busy. Told us to wait our turn."

In that time, he raped and killed two more women.

By the time the police finally decided to arrest him, how many more victims would there have been?

And with that, the Hero’s knuckles moved.

Crunch!

Killing a man was simple.

Snap the neck.

Quick and clean.

Ideally, he would’ve made him suffer—slowly, painfully,

but unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time.

"Take him. Be satisfied with that. That’s about your level anyway."

The Hero tossed the lifeless body toward the police.

By tomorrow morning, headlines would likely read: "Notorious serial rapist found dead."

Choi Yongsoo was speechless.

Shaken.

"...How do you know? How did you know why we really hadn’t caught him yet?!"

"That’s what you’re curious about right now?"

"...."

"I have a lot of people helping me.

People who make sure I can keep doing what I do."

Real heroes.

People who asked for nothing in return, but provided him with everything.

"...Civilians are helping a criminal?"

"That’s right. Because I’m not a criminal."

With those final words, the Hero slowly turned his back.

Even with a gun pointed at him, he walked away unfazed.

Bang!

Another shot rang out.

It missed. Again.

"...."

Detective Choi Yongsoo stood there, helplessly watching.

The Hero disappeared into the darkness at the tunnel’s end.

Beeeeeeeeep.

Behind him, flashing police lights flooded the scene as backup arrived.

Bright but meaningless.

"Sir! Are you alright?!"

"...Arrest that bastard."

Exhaustion.

Had he done the right thing?

Choi Yongsoo stared into the darkened tunnel once more.

If they ever crossed paths again,

he swore—this time, he wouldn’t let him escape.

"Cut! Okay! Great work, everyone!"

With Director Lee Seong-deok’s final call,

the filming for True Hero came to an end.

Or so it seemed.

"...Can we shoot that again?"

Kim Donghu suddenly spoke up.