小火星

Chapter 280: All Time (11)

The Japanese voices of two people who appeared to be voice actors immediately reached his ears. They were a few steps ahead, whispering about Kang Woojin. As he slowly followed them, they didn’t notice his presence and continued their gossip. Naturally, the person who understood their conversation most clearly was Kang Woojin himself.

His brow furrowed slightly without showing.

‘What the hell? Talking behind my back?’

Kang Woojin felt a twinge of irritation. It was honestly a scene where it wouldn’t be strange to get angry. However, since he had to maintain his composed persona, he maintained his cynical demeanor for now. He wasn’t suppressing it; he was simply observing how much bullshit they would spew. Regardless, the Japanese voice actors continued to talk enthusiastically about Woojin. At this point, Han Ye-jung, with her blue bob haircut with black tips, who had walked up to Woojin’s side, said coldly.

“Oppa, I think they’re talking about you. In a bad way.”

She wasn’t very proficient, but she could understand some Japanese. This news quickly spread to the stylist team. Kang Woojin calmed them down.

“I know, just leave it for now.”

The Japanese voice actors were still spewing nonsense as they opened the glass door to the conference room that appeared to be the reading room.

“How about a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

“On whether he’ll mess up from the very first line or not.”

Kang Woojin had been waiting for this. Sure, it was a moment to act tough due to his persona, but even his natural personality wouldn’t tolerate such a scene. He couldn’t stand it if they provoked him openly. Thus, Woojin lowered his voice.

“Sounds good, let’s bet.”

But he raised the volume. His low and heavy voice resonated in the reading room. Consequently, dozens of staff members and the Japanese voice actors who had arrived early turned their heads toward the entrance as if on cue. The Japanese voice actors gossiping about Woojin were startled.

In contrast, Woojin spoke calmly, ensuring everyone could hear.

“How about we bet on who messes up more – me, an amateur, or you two as professionals. What do you think?”

The eyes of the Japanese voice actors widened. No, everyone in the reading room reacted similarly. As a result, the staff of ‘Male Friend: Remake’ started whispering.

“W-what did Kang Woojin just say?”

“I think he challenged them to a bet.”

“On who would perform better, him or the voice actors?”

“That’s what I heard too.”

“What the hell? Should we intervene?”

The staff, already aware that Woojin had a bad reputation among the voice actors, had their expressions darken instantly. Some of the voice actors in the reading room had similar reactions. However, their expressions were more of a frown than mere darkness. They seemed slightly offended by Woojin’s words.

Nonetheless, Woojin didn’t care and kept his eyes fixed on the voice actors standing in front of him.

“Why are you silent?”

Perhaps because his gaze was so cynical, the voice actors who had been talking behind Woojin’s back froze up.

“Huh? Th-that’s…”

“Are you not going to take the bet?”

Of course, Woojin didn’t care about that at all.

“You were talking about me on your way here, weren’t you? What did you say? ‘Today’s going to be tough, Kang Woojin is an amateur, so he’ll keep making mistakes.’ Was that it?”

“Um, well. That…”

“You said other things too, but I can’t remember them clearly.”

“……”

The Japanese voice actors mumbled and looked around nervously. Meanwhile, Woojin, with a stern face, scanned the now silent reading room. Everyone was watching him. Some staff members seemed ready to intervene. Woojin fixed his gaze back on the voice actors in front of him. Usually, given the situation and the gazes of many people, he would settle things moderately, but.

“Hm-”

But true to his ‘don’t give a damn’ attitude, Woojin didn’t stop.

“Is this what they call territoriality behavior?”

“……”

“If I hadn’t heard it directly, I might not have known, but hearing it myself makes me quite uncomfortable.”

The staff and voice actors of ‘Male Friend: Remake’ gradually understood the situation. Ah, they got caught talking behind his back. Over 80% of them began to feel flustered. This kind of direct confrontation was rare in Japan, given the country’s unique cultural atmosphere.

So what? Of course, this had nothing to do with Kang Woojin.

‘Do I have to adjust to that too? If I’m pissed, I should resolve it then and there.’

Woojin spoke coldly again.

“Are you not going to take the bet?”

On the contrary, the voice actors were almost in a state of shock. They were stunned because they had never experienced such a situation before.

“…I’m, I’m sorry.”

“It was a slip of the tongue… We apologize.”

Due to Woojin’s unyielding attitude, Han Ye-jung and the others behind him felt their shoulders rise with pride. As if to say, ‘See? This is our Kang Woojin.’ Meanwhile, the staff members cautiously approached to mediate.

“Uh, Kang Woojin, please calm down for now. We apologize too.”

Woojin responded indifferently.

“It’s not particularly different from usual.”

“Huh? Ah, yes. We’re sorry.”

Several staff members and planning team members of ‘A10 Studio’ started apologizing. Of course, the voice actors in front of Woojin did the same. Although Woojin had no experience in voice acting, he was still the male lead of ‘Male Friend: Remake’. That weight could not be ignored.

After receiving the apologies for a while.

“…”

Without saying anything in particular, he stared at them and then suddenly started moving with an indifferent expression. Then, he bowed his head to the Japanese voice actors who had already taken their seats in the reading room.

“Hello, I’m Kang Woojin. I look forward to working with you today.”

After all, greetings should be given. Woojin had a personality that didn’t hold grudges. Soon, one by one, the voice actors awkwardly bowed to Woojin. Kang Woojin had taken control of the strange atmosphere in an instant.

Then.

-Swish.

Woojin moved calmly while looking at the cast list placed on the ㄷ-shaped table. Naturally, his cast list was at the very first position.

-Screech.

He sat down casually and opened his script. On the other hand, the Japanese voice actors were busy reading the room. Although they didn’t say it, their eyes conveyed a similar message.

‘What kind of weirdo is this?’

He looked angry one moment and then suddenly greeted them politely. And now, he was calmly looking at his script. He could certainly appear quite eccentric. The staff or employees of ‘Male Friend: Remake’ immediately understood Woojin’s personality.

It was an aura that warranted such a reaction.

“Wow- Kang Woojin’s presence is insane, isn’t it?”

“Right? During the last meeting, I thought he was just quiet, but today, his charisma is just…”

“He’s a character you rarely see in Japan.”

“Look at the voice actors’ faces, they’re completely subdued.”

Surprisingly, it was Kang Woojin’s team who were most satisfied. Among those who sat down on the temporary chairs surrounding the ㄷ-shaped table, chief stylist Han Ye-jung spoke first.

“Talking behind someone’s back, huh. This is Kkang Woojin, you idiots.” (TL Note: In listing, it sounds similar, but in writing, it is different from Kang Woojin. The original name is 강우진 [Kang Woojin], and the nickname is 깡우진 [Kkang Woojin]. As you can see, the first character is different. 깡 is a Korean slang term that means someone with guts so the rough translation would be like Ballsy Woojin.)

‘Kkang Woojin’, a new nickname Woojin wasn’t aware of.

After a while.

More people started filling the now solemn reading room. Famous Japanese voice actors, staff, executives, and associates of ‘A10 Studio’, etc. Initially there were around 20 people, the number had now exceeded 50, and the seats were almost entirely filled. The rumors started spread among the Japanese voice actors.

“Really? Did Kang Woojin really say that?”

“Yes, really. He proposed a bet on who would perform better, him, an amateur, or the professional voice actors, and he was exuding confidence.”

“…Sure, the voice actors were at fault first. But he’s overflowing with confidence, isn’t he? Does Woojin have voice acting experience?”

“I heard this is his first time.”

Kang Woojin’s straightforward declaration spread fiercely. The reactions were mixed. Some voice actors viewed him with curiosity, as if looking at a new type of human, while others watched Woojin, filled with a strange sense of admiration for his overflowing confidence.

At this point.

“Hello everyone—”

A female voice actor entered the bustling reading room. She was wearing a tight-fitting short-sleeved T-shirt and loose jeans, with a petite figure and face. Her eyes were quite large, and her snaggletooth was noticeable. She had the kind of beauty that would be popular in Japan.

She was Umi Natsumi, who played the female lead ‘Kyoko Enma’ in ‘Male Friend: Remake’ and was known as an idol in the Japanese voice acting industry.

In terms of recognition and popularity, she was top-tier.

“Huh? Why is the atmosphere so heavy?”

Indeed, her voice was good too. Clear yet soft like an announcer. Due to her exploding popularity, Umi Natsumi had a rather high opinion of herself, and as soon as she entered the reading room, she greeted several voice actors and heard the rumors.

“Eeeh- did such a thing really happen?”

Of course, it was about Kang Woojin. Umi Natsumi glanced at Woojin, who was sitting in the front row. No one approached the seated Woojin. It seemed like he was exuding some kind of dark energy.

‘Wow, is he crazy? He seems a bit gloomy too? No he feels similar to Toru Sengoku?’

Even before coming to this place, Umi Natsumi had heard about Kang Woojin several times. He was hot among the actors she was close with. In any case, it was her first time seeing him in person.

‘He’s a bit more intense than I imagined??’

Clearing her throat, Umi Natsumi walked towards Kang Woojin. As the female lead, she had to greet him, and her curiosity was piqued. Her self-esteem was high due to her increased popularity. She thought it would be no big deal to befriend him.

“Ahem, excuse me—”

After all, aren’t all men the same? Umi Natsumi stood beside Woojin and smiled.

“Hello?”

Hearing the Japanese and smelling her fragrance, Woojin turned his head. As soon as she saw Kang Woojin’s face, Umi Natsumi screamed internally.

‘Wow!! Cold handsome guy!’

On the other hand, Woojin looked at Umi Natsumi but there was no change in his firm expression.

“Yes, hello.”

Though it was just part of his persona, it also reflected his true feelings.

‘Who is this? Ah— A voice actor? Oh, there are some pretty cute ones among the voice actors.’

He wasn’t particularly moved. To him, Umi Natsumi was just a fairly pretty voice actor. He was already surrounded by actresses of overwhelming beauty. Unaware of this, Umi Natsumi extended her hand to Woojin. Usually, most men would smile foolishly and shake her hand when she did this.

“Kang Woojin? You’re very handsome! Nice to meet you, I’m Umi Natsumi, playing Kyoko Enma. I hope we get along well.”

Woojin, who had slowly stood up, loosely grasped Umi Natsumi’s hand and replied in a low, short tone.

“Nice to meet you.”

Then he sat back down. The whole process took less than five seconds. This was not the reaction Umi Natsumi had expected. Slightly flustered, she thought to herself.

‘This isn’t how it’s supposed to go?? Isn’t he being a bit, a bit arrogant??!’

She quickly lowered her hand that was awkwardly left hanging in the air, biting her lower lip.

‘Tsk, why is he so cold? What’s his deal? Is he acting this way because he’s doing well now? Whatever, I’m more successful in the voice acting industry.’

At that moment.

“Woojin.”

A middle-aged woman’s voice interrupted between them. Turning around, they saw a woman with tied dark brown hair and a kind expression approaching. It was the famous voice actor Asami Sayaka, who had a connection with Kang Woojin through the piano performance in the hotel. Surprised by the appearance of a senior, Umi Natsumi bowed slightly.

“Oh! H-hello, sunbae!”

Sayaka waved her hand with a gentle smile.

“Yes, hello.”

Then she immediately addressed Kang Woojin.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I was really debating whether to contact you after the SNS incident, wondering if I might have caused you any trouble.”

Woojin was already standing.

“No, there was nothing like that at all.”

“That’s a relief. Thanks to you, my daughter is always smiling these days. Thank you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. By the way, did you know? I heard that your popularity at my daughter’s school is through the roof. She boasts about you all the time.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

“She prays every day, hoping you’ll do well. If you ever have any trouble with voice acting, please let me know.”

“Thank you.”

It was a truly peaceful conversation. However, for Umi Natsumi, who was watching from the side, it was anything but peaceful. Woojin’s tone was entirely different from the one he used with her.

‘Why is he so gentle? What’s with the temperature difference? C-could it be that he prefers older women??!’

At that moment.

“Alright, everyone, please take your seats.”

A man with round glasses, standing at the head of the ㄷ-shaped table, began organizing the reading room. He was one of the executives from ‘A10 Studio’ and the chief director of ‘Male Friend: Remake.’

“Hello, I’m Mahiro Sakuichi, the director of ‘Male Friend: Remake.’”

He was a famous director in the anime industry. Thanks to him, Woojin, Asami Sayaka, Umi Natsumi, and all the other voice actors took their seats. The director introduced the voice actors, including the male lead Kang Woojin, the female lead Umi Natsumi, and Asami Sayaka, as well as dozens of other voice actors, and then introduced the production team and the executives from ‘A10 Studio.’

Soon.

“Now, let’s start with a light reading of Episode 1, as a way to warm up our voices.”

The director sat down, and the anime started playing on the large monitor in front of them. Since it wasn’t the final version, there was no opening, OST, or title. It went straight into the content. While Umi Natsumi and dozens of voice actors focused on the monitor, they also glanced at Kang Woojin, who had a calm expression.

‘He’ll… make a mistake, right?’

‘Considering he boldly declared that bet—he must have practiced a lot, but it’s hard to get the first lines right.’

‘Is he not even nervous? Why is he so peaceful?’

There was a subtle hope that Kang Woojin would make a mistake. The only one genuinely worried was Asami Sayaka.

‘I hope he doesn’t feel too pressured.’

At this moment, in the ‘Male Friend: Remake’ on the giant monitor, a male character with messy hair and glasses appeared, waking up groggily from his bed. It was Toru Sengoku, the male lead character. Just before his first lines came out, Kang Woojin looked at the monitor calmly and opened his mouth without any hesitation.

“Haa… what a bother. Silence really is the best, no, my room is the best.”

The character’s chaotic mouth movements matched Woojin’s voice perfectly, without any discrepancies. Naturally, Woojin had directly experienced the world inside the giant monitor of ‘Male Friend: Remake’ and was now channeling Toru Sengoku.

The subsequent lines were the same.

The rhythm, pauses, and emphasis based on emotions and situations matched the character’s mouth movements perfectly. He didn’t even change his expression. The director, seated at the head, was astonished as he looked at Woojin.

‘To deliver the first lines so cleanly—even I’ve never seen this before. And this is his first time as a voice actor??’

Soon, the eyes of dozens of voice actors were all fixed on Kang Woojin. They were filled with a feeling that transcended disbelief and reached a state of awe.

Especially.

‘…Huh? Huuuuh??!’

The female lead Umi Natsumi unconsciously covered her mouth with one hand.

‘No way! He’s insanely good, this cold handsome guy!!’

*****

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