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Translator Note:
Just wanted to let you know that sometimes I won't translate calls(?) like 'oppa, hyung, eonni, nuna, etc.' and suffixes like '-ssi, -nim, etc.'
So...... Bear with me, please (/▿＼ )
Thank You!
***
Shout out to LazyMammal who tell me what "Daldongnae" means.
⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝
***
Chapter 38 – Projects (1)
The
middle-aged man crossed his arms and looked at the young man in the magic
mirror.
'He
said it only took one time.'
He
recalled the story he'd heard from the man who'd introduced him to the young
man.
He
recalled what he'd been told by the man who'd introduced the young man: that he
had an extraordinary memory and focus, and that he could mimic anything
perfectly after seeing it once. He had mastered all the skills taught in the
military within a short time of joining, and could probably master languages if
given enough material.
So,
he asked the CIA for the material and tested him. Their unit had worked with
the CIA on several operations, so it was easy to get them to cooperate.
"What
was the result?"
"......Full
mark."
"Hee."
The
middle-aged man crossed his arms and approached the magic mirror.
"He
learned eight languages in just two weeks......"
He
memorized every regional dialect and all the latest slang.
Two
weeks is two weeks, and even less if we don't count sleeping and eating. We
could probably show him more material and it would fit in his little head
endlessly.
(Is
the test over?)
The
young man couldn't see them, but apparently, his senses were so good that he
did something that felt like eye contact.
"He's
such a talented person."
"Too
bad for them because we got him."
Although
his service was short, he was deployed in various operations and promoted based
on his merits...... They recognized his abilities and put them to good use. But
now this soldier is ours.
"He'll
have plenty of opportunities."
The
CIA man looked at the young man's back as he left the test room with a
lingering expression on his face. The middle-aged man's mouth twitched into a
small smile.
"Phil,
he sent a monster."
He
threw the folder related to the young man down on the desk.
Jay
Jenkins, born October 4, 1991. Enlisted in the Army in 2007. It listed what
skills he'd learned, what operations he'd served in, what achievements he'd
earned, and what medals he'd received.
And
at the very end, it said, 'United States Joint Special Command – 1st Special
Forces Group Delta Operational Detachment'.
***
"......That
guy over there."
"Huh?
Maybe."
Yoon
Jay grabbed the brim of the ball cap he was wearing and pressed it down. Just
as he was about to sneak out, another person who recognized him approached.
"I......
I'm a fan."
"Ah,
thank you."
"Do
you mind if I take a picture with......?"
From
what he heard from Han Jin-woo, he wasn't supposed to listen to each of these
things...... But he couldn't say no.
He
took off his mask and bent down to be level with the fan. On the screen, Yoon
Jay's face was smiling happily.
'I
never thought anyone would recognize me, even though I'm wrapped up tightly.'
When
Yoon Jay was younger, he didn't have the opportunity to experience this. Even
if they did, they'd just look at him and cheer him on, and he wouldn't have the
kind of core fans that Yoon Dojun and Yoon Dohwa talk about.
As
he walked, he was greeted with stares and whispers. Nowadays, actors also
communicate through apps like idols, so people often comment that they hope
Yoon Jay does the same.
"Can
I also take a picture with you?"
"I've
seen 'Fluttering' five times."
As
soon as he gave a fan service to one person, the people around him started to
crowd around him. Yoon Jay hid his embarrassment and tried to give fan service
to as many people as possible.
He
was saved by Han Jin-woo, who was watching from outside.
"I'm
sorry. But, our actor has to go now."
"Ah......"
As
much as they were disappointed, Yoon Jay was also disappointed. However, they
wished him much attention for his next works, bowed his head, and got into the
car.
"I
knew it would be like this."
"I'm
sorry."
"No,
this is why managers are needed."
Han
Jin-woo glanced over to where Yoon Jay had been. It was a street near a popular
bakery that had been trending on social media lately, and naturally, a lot of
people in their twenties and thirties were there.
[Hyung,
what are you doing?]
[Observing
people.]
[What?]
[I
think I need to keep observing people.]
He
wants to know how people in Korea are doing these days because he comes from a
different culture.
Han
Jin-woo didn't want to leave Yoon Jay alone, so he kept watching him from the
side, it was a little scary that he only turned his head slightly and Yoon Jay
immediately couldn't move his body.
'Even
if it's for the sake of the work......'
As
news of Yoon Jay's frequent sightings in the downtown area spread, people who
liked him started to create and share his spot.
'It's
been a long time since he had a holiday, but he doing this for acting......'
His
character in the upcoming drama, <Projects> is named Kim Sanghyun.
He's
a bully with a golden spoon, but he's not violent or what people call a tattoo
guy or a coin guy, he's just a character who grew up with good parents and grew
up without lacking anything.
"Hey,
Hyung. It's been a long time since you had free time, don't you want to meet
your friends?"
"I
don't have many friends......"
Yoon
Jay is the type of person who doesn't stop people from coming and doesn't stop
people from leaving, but lately, he's been a bit lonely. Even if he walked down
the street, many people would recognize him, so he just stayed home, and it
made him feel a bit stuffy.
The
twins are busy touring, the bodyguards from Wings Company are busy working, and
Yoon Jay's workload has increased so much that they don't have time to see each
other, and Director Lee Young-chang is busy working on a new project.
"Ah."
Han
Jin-woo was a little surprised to hear such an out-of-character comment.
Sometimes
he forgets that Yoon Jay is from the United States. Yoon Jay didn't have the
accent or habits of someone who had lived in a foreign country for a long time,
it seemed like he had just grown up in Korea. Han Jin-woo glanced at Yoon Jay
in the rearview mirror.
"What
about Kwon Minjae -ssi? I heard you've been talking to him a lot lately."
Despite
only meeting each other briefly for a special appearance, they quickly bonded.
He even invited him to a group chat room for actors born in 1991 and told them
that they would all meet together someday.
(Kwon
Minjae) I've seen you in Fluttering.
(Kwon
Minjae) How do you immerse yourself in acting?
'You
should know better than me.'
He
has been acting consistently for over 20 years, so who am I to ask for acting
advice from a rookie? Oh, how humble he is.
"He's
busy."
"Ah,
I see. By the way, after this project is finished, Hyung will go home,
right?"
Yoon
Jay nodded. He hasn't told his parents yet that he's starting a new job in
Korea, but he hasn't told them that he's acting.
He
will tell them when he gets there because he won't be jumping from job to job
like he used to again.
"Then
would you like to have dinner with me?"
"Really?
Is that okay?"
"What's
not to be okay with?"
"I
read somewhere that people from the same workplace get tired when they do it
together."
"Hyung,
do you think you're an office worker?"
***
After
a short day's rest, he went back to work on the set of <Projects>.
Kim
Sanghyun's first appearance in <Projects> was in a club surrounded by
people.
"Hey,
Sanghyun. I heard Yumi is around here, should I call her?"
"Her?
She's not that good. She's got a face full of money."
"That's
why she's good, how common is nature these days?"
His
fondness for alcohol, women, and nightlife, the constant presence of people
around him, and his condescending tone of voice show that he's been spoiled to
the core.
"Tsk,
tsk. You're drunk and messed up again."
"Hehe."
After
coming home drunk and sleeping in until lunch, he smiled affectionately at his
father, who was still reading the newspaper instead of going to work.
He
grew up to be a beloved little boy, immature, and prone to nagging. He knows
that his father loses to this laugh, and he takes advantage of it.
His
father let out a long sigh and handed him something.
"Read
this."
"If
you're a social service worker, it's...... For the public good. Dad! I thought
you exempted me."
"Hey,
you naughty boy. Do you think it can be done that easily?"
"It's
easy! My brother did it, so why can't I?"
Kim
Sanghyun stomped his feet and wiggled his body. His sulking like a
five-year-old child was natural as if he had done it before.
"These
days, there’s a lot of talk about military service corruption, so just
go."
"Ah,
come on! Seriously! Dad, you said you wouldn't make your son suffer! You said
it's a hundred percent!"
"Stop
arguing and go! Before I cut off all your cards!"
In
the end, he lost. He realizes that without his father's money, he's nothing. He
arrives in Uisun City, a fictional city in the world of <Projects>.
"Eyy,
I bought this in exchange for me having to leave."
He
gets out of his flashy sports car, steps in a puddle of water, and frowns.
He
slips on a shiny cashmere coat, slicked-back hair, and designer sunglasses and
slips them on his collar as he enters the city hall.
"Whoa,
what is that?"
"How
much is that?"
The
stares follow him as he enters. Kim Sanghyun smiles cockily.
'First
impressions go like this.'
Kim
Sanghyun even drove a more expensive car on purpose. To show them that he's a
child of a wealthy family. He also always makes mistakes in everything he is
told to do, so no one will think of giving him a job. Then, all he has to do is
suck some honey, and his military service was completed.
For
a few days, Kim Sanghyun's plan seemed to be working, until Kang Subin, the
protagonist of <Projects> met him after returning from fieldwork.
"I
heard there's someone new here?"
"Not
hitting the goal."
"Why?"
"When
I tell him to do something, he never does it right. He's over there."
As
Kang Subin followed the direction finger pointed to, she saw Kim Sanghyun, who
spilled coffee on the papers, grabbing the back of his head and pretending to
be embarrassed. But Kang Subin observed him keenly.
"......He
did that on purpose."
"Huh?
What?"
"Nothing,
but what else can you tell me about him?"
"Well,
he looks like a child from a wealthy family, and I don't think that is a normal
wealthy family."
"What?"
"I
mean, our city hall is often the place where the children of the wealthy family
are exiled."
The
social worker they worked with previously was also from a wealthy family, but
at least they knew how to be polite and didn't act like they couldn't do their
job. Kang Subin's opinion of Kim Sanghyun was going down.
"How
many times have you seen him drive a foreign car?"
"It's
not just an ordinary foreign car. It's a 400 million won car."
Kang
Subin frowned slightly, could it be the shiny sports car next to the official
car was his?
A
while ago, Kang Subin went to check the situation because she had to take care
of delinquent taxes of 40,000 won. A man in his 50s who lives day to day. He
fell from a construction site and injured his leg, but due to missed treatment
time, he has a permanent limp, and he is on the way to help him claim
disability benefits.
[It's
a little bit, but you'll get disability benefits, and I'll connect you with the
welfare department, so you'll be able to get rice or kimchi or something soon.]
[Oh
my, thank you for helping me.]
Some
people can't even afford to pay 40,000 won in taxes, and some people drive
around 400 million won cars.
"Hey,
can I take him around?"
"Yeah.
I'd rather."
Quickly
get him out of my sight. Officer Park waved his hand. Kang Subin walked over to
Kim Sanghyun, who was clumsily mopping up a spilled coffee on the floor.
"What's
your name?"
"Kim
Sanghyun."
"I'm
Kang Subin, but you can call me whatever you want."
"Then
can I call you Nuna?"
Kang
Subin's expression showed disdain. Kim Sanghyun smiled harder on purpose. He'd
never met anyone who didn't fall for his face, but this one won't be easy.
"You
can call me Officer Kang."
"Ah,
yes."
"You
know how to drive, right?"
"Yes."
Kim
Sanghyun smirked as he took the car keys that Kang Subin threw at him. It was
better outside than inside.
"I
will give you the navigation, you just have to follow it."
"But
may I ask for what purpose you are going?"
"I'm
going to collect taxes."
"Oh......"
Tax
collection. The image immediately comes to Kim Sanghyun's mind. Raiding the
home of a wealthy man in a high-rise penthouse, seizing his art, raiding his
safe, and forcing him to pay?
But
the fantasy didn't last long: the road they were on was a narrow alleyway, the
asphalt pavement peeling away in places, and the car rattled.
"We'll
have to walk from here, so stop over there."
"Yes."
As
they got out of the car, Kim Sanghyun saw a hillside shantytown that many
people called Projects's Area.
"Aah,
seriously......"
It's
sucks. This is the moment when Kim Sanghyun's eloquence is broken by the slums
he sees for the first time.
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