Possessed 10 Million Actors - Chapter 155:

Jang Sunho immediately checked the comments section to verify the location. There was a red mark deep in an alley near Sapporo Station.

“Where is this?”

No matter how well Jang Sunho knew his way around, he couldn’t be familiar with every corner of Japan. As he studied the map, Jang Sunho raised his head slightly in thought.

“Well… it shouldn’t be a major issue.”

Just because they knew Jinseok’s location didn’t mean there was a high chance of fans swarming at the airport. While there was a bit of concern about being near the station, Jang Sunho wasn’t overly worried since Ha Jun was accompanying him.

“Yes! Team leader! I got a call from Ha Jun!”

Still, just to be sure, Jang Sunho dialed Ha Jun.

“Hello, Mr. Ha Jun. Where are you now? Everything okay?”

“Yes! No issues. We’re at a ramen shop where actor Kang Jinseok brought us.”

“I see. Is the ramen shop crowded?”

“No, not at all. Right now, it’s just me and Mr. Jinseok in the ramen shop.”

It was as Jang Sunho expected.

“Alright. I just called out of curiosity. Take care.”

“Yes!”

After the lively voice of Ha Jun, the call ended. Jang Sunho returned his focus to the computer and various documents. Now that he knew Jinseok’s situation, it was time to concentrate on work.

Ring, ring—

Jang Sunho’s phone rang again. Checking, it was Ha Jun, the person he had just spoken to.

“Why did he call right after our previous conversation?”

Answering the phone, Jang Sunho heard the urgent voice of Ha Jun.

“Yes, Mr. Ha Jun.”

“Team leader, I’m sorry. We left the ramen shop, but we got caught.”

“Caught? By whom?”

“Fans of actor Kang Jinseok.”

“···”

“At first, one or two people were taking pictures with the actor, but suddenly the ramen shop was packed.”

After a moment of hesitation, Ha Jun asked, “W-What should we do?”

***

The ramen shop, ‘Rockil.’

More customers had gathered in this shop near Sapporo Station in the past few months than in all the previous months combined.

“Who is this young friend that has attracted so many people?”

The elderly owner, whose hair had turned white with the passage of time, looked at Jinseok with a bewildered expression.

In his shop, where even regulars seldom visited now, a Korean man entered and said, “Miso ramen, thick, all toppings, and make the noodles very firm!”

Until then, the owner hadn’t thought much about it. Occasionally, tourists explored the old shops in search of local flavors.

“But as soon as that guy came in, customers started pouring in. It’s not like he’s a Maneki-neko or anything…”

At first, there weren’t many. But as the numbers increased one by one, there was no room to step inside the shop. Some even stood outside, waiting in line just to get a glimpse inside.

“Wow, is that really Kang Jinseok?”

“He looks even better in person.”

Most of the customers had come to see the actor. However, the owner didn’t mind. His shop being filled with customers like this was truly a rare sight.

“Sir! Give me the same thing as Kang Jinseok!”

“Me too!”

“Four servings here!”

“Should we try it too? It looks incredibly delicious.”

Moreover, each customer ordered a bowl of ramen. Now, there weren’t enough bowls to serve the ramen.

“Wow, this is really delicious.”

“As expected, hidden gems are hard to find.”

“But surprisingly, it’s not that far. About 20 minutes from the station. We just need to walk a bit more than we used to after work.”

“We should bring our girlfriends here on the weekend.”

There were also Japanese customers expressing their thoughts like this.

“-Hey, this place is way better than the ramen shop introduced by that YouTuber.”

“Agreed. Why hasn’t this place gained any fame?”

“Local gems usually don’t get much attention. Want another bowl?”

“I’ve already ordered.”

Likely, words of praise from Korean tourists were also heard. The owner couldn’t understand the meaning, but by looking at their expressions, he could tell they were enjoying the food.

The rare compliment made the tip of the owner’s nose tingle with emotion.

With countless customers coming and going, tirelessly boiling noodles without a break, it had become late at night.

Now, inside the shop, only the man and his companion, probably a manager, remained.

“I’m sorry. I thoughtlessly posted a picture on social media, and after people saw it, they crowded in. I apologize for not seeking your understanding earlier.”

The man scratched the back of his head and apologized to the owner.

“N-No, not at all. I’m grateful, actually. But…?”

Glancing at Jinseok’s face, the owner cautiously asked, “Who are you? From what the customers were saying earlier, you seem to be an actor?”

“Oh, yes! I’m Kang Jinseok. I’m shooting dramas and movies in Korea.”

“Ah, I see…”

‘If he’s Kang Jinseok… is he Korean? A Korean actor being this famous in Japan is surprising.’

A little surprised, but as the owner, it didn’t matter at all. Thanks to Jinseok, numerous customers visited his shop today, and it seemed like these customers would bring in even more.

After organizing his thoughts, the owner deeply bowed in gratitude to Jinseok.

“Thank you so much for coming to this humble place. In truth, I was thinking of closing the shop soon, but thanks to you, I believe I can somehow keep it running.”

Jinseok looked puzzled at the elderly man’s greeting. Then, with a proud expression as if he had achieved something, he spoke.

“Please keep running your business. If I come to Japan again, I’ll definitely stop by.”

***

“Whew! Ha-ha.”

Coming out of the ramen shop, Jinseok stretched widely. Relaxing his tense body, he turned to Ha Jun.

Seeming tired from restraining fervent fans as a manager, Ha Jun was loosening up.

“Actor, do you have any other plans after this?”

“No, this is it. We can return to Korea now.”

“Oh, okay. So, first to the hotel… What? You mean we can go back to Korea now?”

“Yes. The only purpose left in Japan was to visit this ramen shop. I think I mentioned it before.”

“Well, you did mention it, but are you really staying in Japan just to have ramen?”

“Yes.”

At my brief response, Ha Jun looked at me with a bewildered expression. Then, nodding with a somewhat awkward smile, he said, “Got it. Let’s go back to the hotel first, and tomorrow, I’ll check the flights back to Korea.”

For some reason, maybe due to my mood, Ha Jun’s voice seemed powerless. It didn’t seem like it was because he was tired from guiding and controlling the enthusiastic fans. Just a short while ago, his voice had strength.

When I stared at Ha Jun silently, he spoke with a charming smile, “Actually, Team Leader Jang Sunho suggested that Kang Jinseok take about a week-long trip to Japan. Lately, the actor has been working non-stop, so the Team Leader thought about giving him a break. And, it turned out to be a good opportunity.”

“Oh…”

“So, the Team Leader had looked into various places for the actor to visit, but I might have been a bit too quick. Haha…”

An awkward laugh from Ha Jun. Though not certain, it seemed like he regretted not being able to present what he had prepared.

Honestly, deep down, I wanted to visit tourist spots like Universal Studios or Tokyo Tower since I was in Japan. However, feeling sorry for Ha Jun, who had to accompany me, I couldn’t say that.

‘But if he’s telling me this much… I probably shouldn’t decline.’

Like a dog eager for a walk, unable to contain my excitement, I said with a bright smile, “Then, I’d like to go to an onsen.”

“Huh?”

“When you think of Japan, onsen is a must, right? It appears a lot in movies and comics. Since Team Leader Jang Sunho suggested staying for about a week, how about staying for ten days? Oh, and on the last day, let’s come to this ramen shop again.”

“Sure, sure! I’ve already researched onsen. The efficacy varies depending on the mineral content in the water…”

***

Incheon International Airport.

Today, like clockwork, numerous people are going their separate ways. Among them was Jang Sunho, who wore a particularly solemn expression as he came to greet Jinseok returning from Japan.

“Hmm.”

Jang Sunho looked at the pictures of Jinseok posted on social media, thinking, ‘When the actor first mentioned staying in Japan, I was a bit worried, but looking at these pictures, it seems like my concerns were unfounded.’

Over the past week, certification photos taken by fans who met Jinseok kept appearing on social media. Even when wearing a hat and mask, it seemed that the star’s aura was unmistakable, and the fans were able to recognize him.

‘It seems like he took pictures with anyone who asked.’

Considering Jinseok’s personality, providing this kind of service to fans was natural, but Jang Sunho felt a bit uneasy. Even though he was an entertainer living off the love of fans, there were times when one should know how to refuse.

“Team Leader Jang Sunho!”

At that moment, a familiar voice rang out. Looking in that direction, he saw Ha Jun, Jinseok, who had his face covered with a hat, mask, and sunglasses, and a sign that read ‘I’m a suspicious person.’ The sunglasses were like those worn by aliens in movies.

‘Where did he find something like that? More importantly, why is he wearing it? Did he receive it as a gift from a fan, like a rabbit hat?’

Although it suited him well, Jinseok’s fashion, trying to stand out in various ways compared to other celebrities, was in many ways unique.

“Welcome back, Team Leader Jang Sunho!”

Jang Sunho approached Ha Jun and Jinseok, who was wearing a hat, mask, and sunglasses, and greeted them.

Before hearing Jinseok’s response, he took the luggage Jinseok was carrying. At a glance, it looked like souvenirs from the duty-free shop and items bought during the trip to Japan.

“Yes, thanks to Ha Jun, I had a really enjoyable time. Ate a lot of delicious food too.”

“If that’s the case, I’m glad. Ha Jun, you did well.”

“Oh, no! I had so much fun.”

To the bright Ha Jun, Jang Sunho said, “Ha Jun, you might be tired. Take a break until the day after tomorrow.”

“Oh, no! I’m not tired at all.”

“When you can take a break, do take one. You’ll be busy soon. Go home right away today. I’ll take care of the actor now.”

Despite Ha Jun’s repeated attempts to decline, he eventually yielded to Jang Sunho’s words.

After Ha Jun went home, Jang Sunho and Jinseok headed towards the van.

“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve been in this van. Feels really good. But Manager, it looks like you’ve lost some weight recently. Is something going on?”

“I’ve been quite busy lately. Selecting a production company and listing actors, you know.”

“Ah, I see.”

Jinseok scratched the back of his head, clouding his words.

“I feel a bit sorry. I had so much fun.”

“You don’t need to feel sorry at all. This is my job. But speaking of which, tomorrow you have a schedule. Are you feeling okay about that?”

“Yes, of course. But what’s the schedule?”

“A meeting with the production team of ‘The Most Painful Predestined Relationship in the World.'”

“Oh, it’s decided already? Where?”

After asking Jang Sunho, Jinseok laughed innocently, saying, “Actually, I don’t really know much about the production company. Hehe.”

“The staff coming in for this project might be the most luxurious team in Korea, or perhaps even in the world. It’s like an all-star team.”

“All-star? Ah, not the production company but the production team?”

“Yes. Since I couldn’t find a production company that I really liked, I gathered talented individuals from various places. People you might know as well.”

Jang Sunho said with a slight smile and a confident tone.