answer:< Departure (4) > Kang Woo-jin was flustered. For a moment, he forgot the persona he had put on and his eyes went blank with confusion. What am I looking at right now? "...This is crazy! What's all this?!" He was used to the blinding flashes from his recent experiences. If it was recent, it was during the production announcement of 'Best Friend,' where Kang Woo-jin's no-nonsense attitude had been thrown into the spotlight. No, this was several times more chaotic than that. -Papapapapak! -Papapapapapapak!! There were far more cameras than before. To the right of the arrival hall where Kang Woo-jin appeared, a line of fences stretched to the end, and the space was crammed with reporters. Roughly a hundred of them. Behind them, the general public from Japan filled the picture. The reporters had their cameras, and the onlookers all held up their phones. What else could it be for? Over 500 people were frantically taking pictures of Kang Woo-jin and Hwarin, who had just appeared. The interesting thing was this. "Are they crazy?! All these people came to see my brother?!" Among the hundreds of onlookers, a familiar girl was spotted. It was Kang Woo-jin's younger sister, Kang Hyun-ah. Of course, not just her, but also her friends. They came as representatives and administrators of the fan club 'Kang's Heart.' "Hyun-ah!! Hold hands, hands!" "Did you take a picture of Woo-jin oppa?!" "I can't see well, it's too far!" "Just take it! We need to share it on the fan cafe!" "There are people from 'Kang's Heart' too!" Although it was hard to find them, members of Woo-jin's fan club 'Kang's Heart' were also among the throngs of people. Including them, the crowd surged like a raging wave. "Is that man Kang Woo-jin?! What! He's cute?" "Please look here once!!" "Korean actors are really handsome!!" "Isn't he much better in person??!" "He matches well with Hwarin!" Kang Woo-jin's eyes hurt from the bursting flashes, and his ears felt like they would fall off from the mixed screams in Japanese. "This way!! This way! Mr. Kang Woo-jin!" "How do you feel about coming to Japan?!" "Mr. Kang Woo-jin! Will you meet with Director Tanoguchi Kyotaro during your schedule in Japan?!" "Please pose with Ms. Hwarin!!" "When were you cast for 'The Strange Sacrifice of a Stranger'?!" "Did you learn Japanese separately?! When is the recording for the Ametalk show! Mr. Kang Woo-jin!" "Is 'The Strange Sacrifice of a Stranger' your first lead role as a rookie??!" "Are you starting your activities in Japan in earnest with this opportunity?!" "Please give us a brief comment about 'Best Friend'!!" The near-screaming questions were almost overlapping and hard to hear. Judging by the occasional Korean heard, it seemed that among the hundred or so Japanese reporters, there were also Korean reporters mixed in. Suddenly, Kim Dae-young, standing to the right of Kang Woo-jin, thought. "...This is insane. I've never seen anything like this. Who knew the Japanese would be this crazy about him. They've lost it." Kim Dae-young's jaw dropped at the sight, and then he caught the face of his buddy Woo-jin. It dawned on him that this guy was truly a star. "This guy really became a star, huh?" He wanted to shout, "This is insane, you crazy guy!" But Kim Dae-young held back. Instead, he decided to make a fuss in their private group chat later. Meanwhile, Woo-jin thought. "I feel like throwing up, I really want to run away?!" His mind began to blur from the pressure. From another perspective, it meant that the name value and interest in Director Kyotaro, writer Akari, and 'The Strange Sacrifice of a Stranger' were this high. Anyway, for Kang Woo-jin, this was a first-time spectacle, and there had never been such attention on a rookie in the entertainment industry. "Wow, this is insane." Woo-jin had expected it to some extent. Choi Sung-gun had hinted at it on the plane. "Woo-jin, there might be some reporters gathered at the airport. There's been an article about you and Hwarin's schedule in Japan. It'll be a bit noisy, but you just do as usual. Just wave your hand calmly." But he didn't expect it to this extent. Kang Woo-jin glanced back at Choi Sung-gun and internally screamed. "A bit??! Is this what you call a bit?" A scene that you'd normally only see on TV was unfolding in reality. Woo-jin felt his legs wobble. However, the surrounding guards and Hwarin seemed unfazed, as if it was no big deal. Kang Woo-jin forcibly gathered his scattered senses. "No, I need to pull myself together. Clench your teeth and walk! Kang Woo-jin, move forward." As Woo-jin was enforcing an excessive amount of mind control, the guards surrounding him began to move at the right time. Kang Woo-jin, Hwarin, and the entire team started walking. Fans behind the reporters reached out their hands. They threw indiscernible gifts. But Woo-jin, maintaining his poker face, couldn't rashly approach them. "Something's- scary. Yeah, I'm scared." He was too scared. But, in the end, it was the right move. Approaching them in such an overexcited state could lead to an accident. Therefore. -Swish. Kang Woo-jin glanced at Hwarin and copied her, waving his hand moderately towards the cameras and the Japanese onlookers. Meanwhile, the team including Kang Woo-jin quickly exited the arrival hall. At that moment. -Whoosh! Someone from the surging crowd of reporters and fence line quickly jumped over. It was an average-sized man. He seemed to be a fan of Hwarin. "Hwarin!!" But he was blocked by the surrounding guards, and Kang Woo-jin reflexively shielded Hwarin on his left. It was instinctive. His body moved automatically, not by intention. Then Woo-jin looked at the blocked man and muttered to himself. "What's with that crazy guy? That scared the hell out of me." He slowly turned his head towards Hwarin. Their eyes met. Unlike Woo-jin's expressionless face, Hwarin's pupils were dilated, her shoulders gripped. Only then did Kang Woo-jin realize what he had done. "Oh, I'm sorry." As Woo-jin removed his hands from her shoulders and spoke softly, Hwarin responded in a dazed voice. "No... it's okay, thank you." At that moment, Choi Sung-gun called out to Woo-jin, and Hwarin, who had glanced at Woo-jin's profile, quietly placed her hand on her chest. "What's with Woo-jin's forcefulness??? Huh??" Her heart was racing several times more than when she saw the 500 people gathered at the arrival hall. "I almost hugged him! No- I should have just casually hugged him." Later on. After escaping the frenzy at the airport, Kang Woo-jin boarded a minivan that had been prepared on the side of the road. There were a total of three minivans and a mini-bus. When traveling by car, Woo-jin and Hwarin moved separately, and as the minivan started, Choi Sung-gun, who sat next to Woo-jin, opened his diary and laughed. "About 500 people, maybe? It was a bit less than I expected." What are you talking about? Less? That? If it had been more than twice that, Woo-jin wouldn't have known if he would have fainted for real. Naturally, the stylists like Han Ye-jung and others joined in the conversation. "Right, it was a bit disappointing. It should have been more crowded! With Hwarin there, there should have been at least 2000 people!" "Maybe the airport had some control. I saw airport guards blocking onlookers at the end." "Still, that's a decent turnout, right?" "It's decent. The articles and onlookers' SNS will be buzzing soon." "Woo-jin oppa must have been disappointed too. That's why his expression was calmer than usual." Woo-jin chose silence in response to the arbitrary evaluations. What kind of spectacle were these people expecting on their way here? 2000 people? At this point, Choi Sung-gun, who was looking at the confirmed schedule, let out a long sigh. "Phew- Woo-jin. I expected it, but the schedule is hellish." Woo-jin steeled himself internally and added a bit of bravado on the outside. "It doesn't matter." "You might be fine even with a full shoot, but me and the kids will be dead. Anyway, we'll move to the hotel first, have a quick meal, go to the shop for hair and makeup, then move to the 'Best Friend' event venue, oh and of course, Netflix Japan staff will join us- and then..." Enough. I'll just go with the flow. Listening more would only make things seem bleaker. After about 10 minutes of going over today's schedule, Choi Sung-gun said. "There's been some change in the meeting schedule. We'll do some promotional schedules in between and a few more media interviews have been added." He changed the subject abruptly. "And originally, we were supposed to meet Director Kyotaro on the 27th, then PD Shinjo on the 28th, and record 'Ametalk show!' on the 30th, but Kyotaro's schedule didn't match, so we'll meet PD Shinjo tomorrow and record on the 29th. We've scheduled to meet Director Kyotaro on the 30th." "Ah, yes. Got it." Kang Woo-jin nodded indifferently. Choi Sung-gun, who had closed his diary, showed a smile. "The schedule in Japan is like this. You know, but right now, you're getting a lot of offers from various broadcasts, YouTube, and even advertising inquiries are exploding? It's almost double since 'Hanryang.' Thanks to you and Hye-yeon, we're even considering expanding the company. Anyway, I'm filtering it myself and only taking the big ones, but what are you going to do about the incoming works?" Works. Kang Woo-jin was currently the hottest topic in the Korean entertainment industry. It was impossible for scripts and screenplays not to come in. Already, BW Entertainment had dozens of scripts and screenplays sent for Woo-jin. Wouldn't it take months just to read them all? Of course, that calculation applied to ordinary actors, but if Kang Woo-jin got serious, he could finish the task in a week. He had the void. He could just read the works in order of decent ratings. However. "Aren't the schedules that come with the works a bit too much right now?" Woo-jin was no longer the same as before. He had seen a bit, albeit slightly. He didn't want to overdo it, and he had a lot to do. "Don't chase sparrows and split your legs." But whining about weakness didn't fit his persona. So, Woo-jin expressed his opinion with a bit of his 'my way' attitude. "I will focus on the works that are already scheduled. Please keep the incoming works on hold." "Let's do that. I was thinking the same. Honestly, your schedule isn't typical. No, other guys couldn't handle this. But since you're handling it so easily, I asked just in case." "It's not that difficult." "I know, I know, dude. It looks like it even without asking." He was wrong. Even with the void, Woo-jin's energy was at its peak. But he still had to maintain his persona. Oh, every day was overwhelming for Kang Woo-jin. "Is it true that humans only grow when pushed to the extreme?" Then, Choi Sung-gun, who had picked up his phone, spoke again. "Let's talk about the works after 'Best Friend' and 'Drug Dealer' are out. Anyway, after October, it's going to be busy with the end of the year and all that." Ah- is it already the end of the year? The entertainment industry usually becomes incredibly hectic from October. With numerous eventful broadcasts, events, award ceremonies, film festivals, and so on until the end of the year. "It's been a while since I felt this way since Hye-yeon's rookie days. Woo-jin, you'll be called everywhere from 'Hanryang' to movies, wow- I'm looking forward to it." Kang Woo-jin wouldn't be left out of all that. Hours later. After eating at the hotel near Tokyo Station, Woo-jin stopped by the shop and then arrived at Netflix Japan near Tokyo Tower. The interior of Netflix Japan was similar to that of Netflix in Korea. However. "Nice to meet you, I'm <PRESIDIO_ANONYMIZED_PERSON> from Netflix Japan." The overall director of Netflix Japan was a foreigner. Woo-jin, who shook hands with him in the meeting room, found it a bit curious. But that was only for a moment, as they had to proceed with the meeting related to the event. "Shall we get moving then?" The Netflix Japan staff, Kang Woo-jin, and Hwarin's team moved to a nearby event venue. The schedule proceeded smoothly without any unnecessary detours. The event venue prepared by Netflix Japan for 'Best Friend' was in a building filled with event-specific studios. "Mr. Kang Woo-jin, Ms. Hwarin! Let's start with a photo time on stage!!" The event, which also served as a production announcement, began with commemorative photo shooting. The interior of the studio wasn't very large, but the setup was decently arranged. About 30 reporters invited by Netflix Japan, a 'Best Friend' poster behind the stage, a hired host, and so on. Whatever it was. -Papapapapak! -Papapapapapapak!! Despite it being his first overseas schedule, Kang Woo-jin just moved mechanically. Well, he didn't have the luxury to think about anything else. Occasionally, he looked at the snacks placed above the reporters' seats. "What's that? Looks like it would taste amazing." He drooled over it, but that was all. On stage, Woo-jin wore a casual suit, and Hwarin wore a checkered two-piece. The photo time for the two of them posing took about 10 minutes. Then, the two. -Swish. Sat down on the chairs prepared on stage. The arrangement was the host, Kang Woo-jin, Hwarin, and the interpreter. Woo-jin was relatively calm. "Fortunately, it's smaller than the ones I've done in Korea." It wasn't much different from what he had experienced in Korea, except for the Japanese being spoken, so it was manageable. Soon, the host in the first seat on stage moved. The hired host was a Japanese announcer. "Shall we start? First- hello, Mr. Kang Woo-jin, Ms. Hwarin." "Hello, I'm Kang Woo-jin." "I'm Hwarin- nice to meet you." As the commemorative event for the launch of 'Best Friend' on Netflix Japan officially began, the Netflix Japan staff at the back of the venue began to murmur softly. Some were subtly pointing at Woo-jin on stage. Meanwhile, Choi Sung-gun, who was a bit away from them, thought. "Hmm- should I have dressed Woo-jin in something other than a suit?" He was just concerned about Kang Woo-jin's outfit. At that moment, an excited Netflix Japan team leader pointed at Woo-jin and spoke in Japanese, which naturally reached Choi Sung-gun's ears. "What? Over a million subscribers? In just a week?!" < Departure (4) > End

answer:< Departure (6) > People sometimes reflect on themselves. They often utter similar phrases like, "Wow, how did I manage to do that?" Kang Woo-jin had felt this many times throughout his life, especially during the days when he worked overtime at a design company as if it were his daily bread. And now, Woo-jin had added another such moment. "Did I just use Japanese sign language correctly? It must be right since that kid understood me. But how?" It was indeed Japanese sign language. Until just a moment ago, his body and expressions had moved without much thought. But then, the question from the young boy, who seemed to be in his early teens, "How do you know Japanese sign language?" triggered a flood of questions in Kang Woo-jin's mind. "...Exactly. Why did it work when I don't even know why? Do you know?" It was impossible for the young boy who had asked about Japanese sign language to know the answer when Woo-jin himself did not. In any case, numerous thoughts raced through Woo-jin's mind in a very short time. He knew that sign language varied from country to country. Well, he didn't know, but he had found out after acquiring sign language through the void and then doing some research. He had instantly mastered that strange and difficult language, but he needed to know the basic information. That way, he could use it appropriately when necessary. After confirming the information, Woo-jin had nodded to himself. Thinking about it, it made sense that sign languages would be different, just as spoken languages are different in many countries. Thus, Kang Woo-jin concluded that what he had learned was Korean sign language. However, in the studio of 'Ametalk show!', Woo-jin suddenly used Japanese sign language. Moreover, it was at the same level as the Korean sign language that had been highly praised by experts. Therefore, it was natural for Woo-jin to be confused. Then, Woo-jin thought. "Wait a minute. Let's calm down and check if it works again. Let's see if it was a fluke or not." It couldn't have been a fluke, but he needed to be sure. Soon, Woo-jin fixed his gaze on the young boy in the audience whose eyes had widened. -Swish. He raised his hand. Trying to recall the sensation from just before, he attempted Japanese sign language. But the word "attempt" was an understatement. Kang Woo-jin effortlessly began to use Japanese sign language. It felt similar to how the body remembers something. ["Am I doing Japanese sign language correctly right now?"] As Woo-jin smoothly signed, the young boy's eyes widened even more. Then, the boy also raised his hand. ["Yes. It's accurate. You seem to do it even better than I do, and I still make mistakes sometimes. Your sign language skills are similar to my sign language teacher. No, you're even better!"] ["Thank you, I'm not sure why I can do Japanese sign language either."] ["What??"] ["No, just kidding."] Woo-jin's fluent Japanese sign language. In fact, Woo-jin's signing was smoother than the young boy's. At this point, Woo-jin realized. 'My brain recalls Japanese, and my body, which remembers sign language, moves accordingly. It feels like a fusion.' It was the process of producing Japanese sign language. Meanwhile, the wide studio where the two men were exchanging sign language fell silent. "......" "......" "......" Director Shinjo, MC Soyo, Choi Sung-gun, the 200 or so audience members, and dozens of staff members. Everyone was silently looking back and forth between Woo-jin and the young boy. They were either shocked by the unexpected or captivated by a sight they had never seen before. After all, it's not often that one sees sign language, and now, during the recording of a talk show, a Korean rookie actor was proficiently using Japanese sign language. Why could that actor use Japanese sign language when he wasn't even Japanese? It was enough to make one's mind go blank. At this point. "...Ah, ah!" Director Shinjo, who had been blankly watching the two sign, suddenly came to his senses. He then asked one of the two interpreters standing next to him, the sign language interpreter. "Mr. Woo-jin is using Japanese sign language, right? Not Korean?" "Yes... it's Japanese sign language. But didn't you say he's a Korean actor? I was surprised he spoke Japanese so well, but I never imagined he could do sign language too." "I feel the same." Director Shinjo, now a bit more serious, raised his hand and shouted. "Let's stop the recording for a moment!!" He rushed onto the stage. MC Soyo, still holding the microphone, was still dazedly looking at Woo-jin, but Director Shinjo, not caring, immediately approached Kang Woo-jin and asked him excitedly. "Mr. Woo-jin! Can you also do Japanese sign language? Not just speak Japanese?" Yes, it seems so. Woo-jin answered internally and spoke with a lowered voice externally. "Yes. A little. I can also do Korean sign language." "...Korean sign language too - did you perhaps prepare for a job related to sign language in the past?" "No, not at all." "Wait a minute. So you're saying you can do a total of four languages, including Korean and Japanese sign language?" To be precise, it included English as well, but Woo-jin didn't bring up that part. "That's right, but it's not something to brag about." Director Shinjo immediately exclaimed in Japanese. "What! You should brag! That's more than enough to boast about! Wow, Mr. Woo-jin, with all those languages and acting on top of that. Honestly, it would be difficult unless it's your second life, right? Are you on your second life??" "That's not the case." Director Shinjo accepted the question, which was asked in shock, and gradually, his heightened mood began to calm down as he faced the current situation. "Mr. Woo-jin. By any chance, do you plan to keep your knowledge of Korean and Japanese sign language a secret? I mean, is it okay to broadcast it?" "It's fine to broadcast it. There's no reason to hide it." Soon, Director Shinjo's expression changed to that of a talk show director. "Understood. I'll just understand it in my own way. Anyway, this is a good picture right now, isn't it? There's a twist. It can provide enough interest to the viewers. Look at Soyo, whose eyes are about to pop out." At the gesture, Kang Woo-jin turned his head to the right. MC Soyo, filled with astonishment, silently gave a thumbs up, and Director Shinjo took a step closer to Woo-jin and spoke again. "The viewers will probably feel the same. So, I'll add some direction." "Direction, you say?" "Yes." "What kind?" "I'll have to think about that. How to make the scene just now even more spectacular." "......" After staring at Director Shinjo's face with an indifferent gaze for a moment, Kang Woo-jin suddenly stood up. "How about this?" "Yes?" "Actually, it was a bit far, so I couldn't see well." Then, Woo-jin calmly and confidently began to walk with long strides. Towards the 200 or so audience members. As a result, all the audience members flinched or gasped. Regardless, Woo-jin. -Swish. Stood right in front of the young boy he had exchanged sign language with. Then, Woo-jin signed to the young boy. ["Would it be more visible if we talk here? Would that make you uncomfortable?"] The young boy looked flustered but nodded frantically, as if grateful. After hearing the answer, Woo-jin spoke to Director Shinjo in a low-pitched Japanese. "He says it's okay." Director Shinjo exclaimed. "Ah! Leaving the stage entirely?? As soon as the audience member asks a question, he suddenly gets up and goes all the way there to answer! Oh! That's groundbreaking." A smile of satisfaction filled his face. Two hours later. During the break in the recording of 'Ametalk show!', Kang Woo-jin provided fan service such as autographs to the participating audience members and then. -Click. Entered the waiting room alone. It seemed that Choi Sung-gun and Woo-jin's team were still in the recording studio. Unusually, as soon as Woo-jin entered the waiting room, he picked up his always-carried backpack. What Woo-jin took out from the backpack was a screenplay. The type didn't matter. -Thump! It wasn't to read it but to enter the void. Soon, Woo-jin's vision was completely darkened. However, Woo-jin didn't move towards the floating white squares he always checked. Instead. "Phew, recording is as tough as usual, even if it's mentally easier. Anyway, let's see-" He stood in place, crossed his arms, and organized his thoughts. Or rather, he recalled the words spoken by the robotic female voice when he had acquired sign language. ["A new language other than the basic language is detected. 'Sign language' is acquired first."] That's right, now that he thought about it, it was strange. Even though sign language isn't a universal language, the robotic female voice had simply referred to it as "sign language." "But she just said 'sign language.'" To be precise, it should have been "Korean sign language" or "Japanese sign language." It was too broad to simply call it sign language since there were so many. The ultra-powerful void wouldn't make such a mistake. So. "There was something I didn't know." In fact, Woo-jin had come to a conclusion during the recording. Now, he had entered the void just for experimentation. Korean and Japanese sign language worked smoothly. Both felt the same. He just had to think of the respective language in his mind and command his body to use it as sign language. However. "It's not the same for the whole world." It wasn't a universal ability. For example, French. Even if he thought of French and tried to use sign language, his body showed no response. The reason was simple. "Because I don't know French." Then, Woo-jin exhaled softly. "If that's the case..." He recalled the English he had already mastered, at a native level, in his mind, and sent the command to his entire body. He would use American sign language. Slowly raising both hands. And then. -Swish. American sign language flowed out without any hindrance. "It works." A smile spread across Kang Woo-jin's lips. "Okay, I get it now." He had figured out why he could use Japanese and American sign language in addition to Korean sign language. "So, sign language is like a passive ability. As long as the conditions are met, I can have it for any country." The condition was very simple. "The language of that country." It was the languages of each country. Korean, Japanese, English. These were the languages Kang Woo-jin could currently use, and sign language also flowed smoothly for these three countries. But for countries whose language he hadn't learned, it was impossible. In other words. "As I learn more languages, sign language comes as a bonus concept, right? Wow, the void's abilities are insane." Kang Woo-jin had effectively acquired not just three languages but a total of six languages, including sign language. That's why the robotic female voice had expressed it as "sign language" in general. "From now on, every time I learn a language, it's basically 1+1, right?" The abilities of the void were truly extraordinary. After all, how possible is it for a person to master six languages in one lifetime? It's usually hard enough to learn just one additional language. At this point. "That's enough, I'm exiting." Kang Woo-jin recited "exit" refreshingly. His vision immediately shifted from the void to the waiting room, and Woo-jin, who sat down on a nearby chair, curled his lips into a smirk. "Six languages-" He was looking forward to the future. Sure, he wouldn't use sign language often, but it would undoubtedly be helpful someday. Luck is more clearly grasped when one has the skills. "Like Korean sign language, it will definitely be useful. Whether it's Japanese or American sign language." Woo-jin was confident. Sign language was as unique as it was unfamiliar, and thanks to its rarity, there would come a day when he would seize the lurking opportunities somewhere. At that moment. -Thud! The door to the waiting room opened. Immediately, Kang Woo-jin wiped the smile off his face and put on an indifferent expression. The person who appeared was Choi Sung-gun with his ponytail. He and Woo-jin exchanged a silent eye contact for a moment. "......" "......" Choi Sung-gun was the first to break the silence with a chuckle. "What are you looking at, dude? Were you shocked by your Japanese sign language? It's not like we've been together for just one or two days. I've decided to just accept whatever comes." "...Is that so?" "Yeah. If I get surprised by everything, my heart might stop first. Of course, I don't understand. I wonder what this is. But let me ask you one thing." "Yes." "You're human, right?" "......CEO." "No, seriously, answer me. You are, right?" "Of course, I am." Choi Sung-gun scratched his head as if he felt foolish for asking. "Then that's enough. There's no use in forcibly swallowing something that doesn't digest, and you have your past circumstances, so that's why you are who you are now. Let's fight it out. Bring it on, dude. I'll accept whatever it is." Woo-jin also played along with the joke thrown at him. "Yes. Then I'll do so without any burden." "Ah, but you have to give me some time! Even in Tetris, there's a time for the blocks to fall, right? No rapid-fire. Ah, I've already told the team, including Ye-jun and Soo-hwan, to just think that's how it is." "Ah, thank you." "Okay, let's get going. The second part of the recording is about to start." As Woo-jin stepped into the hallway, Choi Sung-gun recalled the previous recording and said. "Well, almost all the audience members today felt that way. But there was that kid. The young one who exchanged sign language with you." "Yes." "He must be quite a fan of yours. It's been a while since I've seen someone so happy to get an autograph. That expression is precious." Indeed, that was the case. The young boy had been almost tearful. But thinking about it, Woo-jin could understand. The boy reminded him of himself, struggling alone amidst his persona and delusions. "How likely is it to have a conversation in sign language with an actor I like or am interested in?" "......Right. And it's not even a Japanese actor, but a Korean one. Besides, the chance to have a conversation in sign language itself isn't common in a lifetime, especially for someone so young." "Unintended isolation can be tougher than you think." Really. Choi Sung-gun slowly nodded and then put his arm around the expressionless Woo-jin's shoulder. "Yeah, today must have been a day that will remain in that kid's memory for a lifetime." The next day, the 30th, in the morning. 'Toega' Film Company. 'The Strange Sacrifice of a Stranger' was produced by 'Toega' Film Company. In the company's large conference room, Kang Woo-jin was seated at a U-shaped table. Of course, Choi Sung-gun was there too. On the opposite side of them was. "I'm sorry for the sudden change in schedule. Something urgent came up." Director Kyotaro, with his hair full of gray, took his seat. Along with him were employees of the film company. Roughly five or six people. Meeting Director Kyotaro was the last item on Woo-jin's schedule in Japan. There was a lot to discuss today: pre-production schedule, shooting period coordination, promotion-related matters, and so on. But for some reason, Director Kyotaro's expression seemed a bit gloomy. At least, that's how Kang Woo-jin felt. 'It seems like something unpleasant happened? There's a bit of a dark vibe.' Director Kyotaro forced a smile and spoke in Japanese. "I heard about 'Best Friend' and YouTube. Congratulations. It feels like the long period of obscurity is finally paying off, and I'm happy for you too." It was a common misconception, so Woo-jin responded without much concern. "Thank you, Director. But is there something wrong?" At the question, Director Kyotaro sighed softly and spoke again. "...Originally, the plan was to have the script reading by October at the latest, but there's been a hitch." "A hitch?" "Well, the reading might be pushed back to early next year. By about half a year." Early next year? Suddenly? That's too late. Especially since it's not even shooting but just a script reading. Is there a reason? As Woo-jin stared at Director Kyotaro, the director, who had been scratching his gray hair, murmured softly. "There's a movement to pull out about half of the total investment. We should consider that 30% has already been withdrawn." The investment is being pulled out? 'The Strange Sacrifice of a Stranger' was a major film, so the investment must have been quite large. Does this mean the film might be scrapped? Woo-jin didn't know the details yet, but it wasn't too difficult for him to come to a conclusion in this situation. Woo-jin uttered his conclusion softly. "By any chance, is this related to me?" Director Kyotaro's smile vanished. "No, it's because of rotten, stupid people who fear change." Meanwhile, in a grandiose house in Tokyo. At first glance, it was a mansion that would naturally elicit exclamations. The vast yard was a given, and the size of the house itself was considerable. Wouldn't it be no problem for a hundred people to live in such a large house? The interior of the house was even more impressive. The ceiling was endlessly high, and the displayed furniture was all extremely expensive. There were more than five employees working in the house. Among them, a male employee cleaning the house knocked on a closed door. -Knock knock. Then, a hoarse Japanese voice came from inside. An old man's voice. "Come in." The male employee opened the door upon hearing the response. It was a study. The spacious room was filled with books. In the center sat an old man. He had white hair mixed into his eyebrows, resembling a white-haired lion. Then, the male employee bowed to him. "How should I clean the study, Chairman?" The Chairman, called so by the employee, closed the book he was reading and shook his head. "You can skip here, start with the other places." "Understood." At that moment. -Tadat! Someone ran into the room behind the male employee. It was a young boy who looked to be about

answer:14 years old. The boy immediately approached the old man sitting in the study. -Swish. He suddenly raised both hands. It was Japanese sign language. ["Grandfather, something amazing happened yesterday!"] The Chairman was taken aback by the boy's gesture, as he was used to seeing the boy with an emotionless, almost dead expression. 'He smiled? He always looked so lifeless, and now he's smiling?' What on earth was going on? The Chairman tried to hide his surprise and quickly put on a bright smile, filled with extreme delight. He then patted the boy's head and also raised both hands, responding in sign language. ["Yes. Tell me, what happened?"] ["I told you I won a spot in the audience for a talk show, right? I went there, and the actor knew Japanese sign language so well!"] ["That actor is Korean, right? But he knows Japanese sign language? What was his name again—sorry, what was it?"] The boy was the young audience member who had exchanged sign language with Kang Woo-jin at the 'Ametalk show!' ["Kang Woo-jin! It was amazing that such a shining actor knew sign language, and I was so happy to have a conversation in sign language!"] The Chairman was the boy's only grandfather. Soon, the Chairman stared at his grandson's beaming face, which he hadn't seen in almost ten years, and thought to himself. 'He knows sign language? Yes, that makes sense. That Korean actor must have a similar situation to mine. Otherwise, there would be no reason to learn sign language.' For some reason, the Chairman started his own train of thought. < Departure (6) > End

answer:189 * * * Lee Taek-hyun made his move. It was a different approach from the altruistic play he had shown up to this point. — Lee Taek-hyun is boldly advancing! Oh! Great dribbling by Lee Taek-hyun! He's completely stolen the timing from the defender! Lee Taek-hyun, who had been on the flank, boldly attempted a breakthrough and succeeded. He then dribbled deeper and advanced further. It was a good move that drew out the defenders. The Algerian defenders had no choice but to react, knowing that Lee Taek-hyun not only had good dribbling skills but also possessed strong shooting abilities with both feet. — Is Lee Taek-hyun going to shoot? — With Lee Taek-hyun's ability, he could definitely score from there! The commentators shouted with anticipation, but the timing for a shot did not come. Two Algerian defenders closed the angle and put up a decent defense. However, at that moment. Flick! Lee Taek-hyun attempted a lobbing pass over the defenders' heads. It was a killer pass aimed at the penetrating Shin Jae-wook. — Woah! It's a pass! Shin Jae-wook! Does he get the ball?! The ball arced through the air. Shin Jae-wook swung his leg at the incoming ball. It wasn't the best posture for a shot, but it was the best timing. If he delayed even a bit, the goalkeeper who was rushing out could interfere, or the nearby defender could block it. 'It's better to shoot now.' It was a shot at the ball while it was still in the air. Naturally, it was even more difficult to make a good shot. Despite that, Shin Jae-wook didn't find it difficult. He had plenty of experience making even more challenging shots. Boom! The ball made a satisfying sound as it connected with the instep. A poorly hit ball could have soared into the sky, but Shin Jae-wook's shot did not. It flew low and straight. "Gasp!" Algerian goalkeeper Raïs M'Bolhi's eyes widened. He tried to leap for it, but he couldn't. The ball was already entering the goal. — Goal! It's a goal! As expected of Shin Jae-wook! He scores with a powerful volley shot that the goalkeeper couldn't even react to! Shin Jae-wook's expression remained unchanged. He gave a thumbs up to Lee Taek-hyun, who had assisted him, but that was it. Not wanting to waste time, he immediately picked up the ball and ran to the center of the field. — Perfect finish! Whenever Shin Jae-wook gets a chance like this, he scores right away! — Shin Jae-wook is skipping the celebration! We've seen this several times in the last match against Russia! Shin Jae-wook has already mentioned in interviews why he skips the celebration, right? — That's right. He said he wants to score more goals. A wonderful reason! — After scoring four goals in the match against Russia, Shin Jae-wook has started the engine against Algeria as well! The atmosphere in the Korean team began to liven up. Although the wingers Lee Cheong-young and Son Hoon-min were showing lackluster performances, Lee Taek-hyun would move to the flank and take on the role of a crack player whenever necessary. — Lee Taek-hyun! His dribbling is really threatening! Even surrounded by Algerian players, he still manages to break through! Shin Jae-wook also moved actively. He switched places with Son Hoon-min and Lee Taek-hyun, confusing the Algerian defenders, and continued to drop back to add strength to the midfield battle. As a result, Algeria could no longer dominate Korea as before. — Shin Jae-wook and Lee Taek-hyun are changing the flow of the game! Amazing! The two youngest players on the team are showing such a significant influence! — Lee Taek-hyun's breakthroughs are too scary, so the Algerian players can't easily push up their line, right? And Shin Jae-wook is just flawless. He receives the ball accurately, distributes it, and never loses it. When a lone striker can play this role, it makes things much easier for his teammates! Korea's ball possession, which had been low, gradually increased. — Shin Jae-wook receives the ball! He easily gets past one player! Shin Jae-wook, who had recently been rated as a world-class player, showed his class. As a player who is strong in all situations, whether he has the ball or not, he threatened Algeria in every scenario. Moreover, Lee Taek-hyun thoroughly supported Shin Jae-wook. — Shin Jae-wook is penetrating after exchanging a 2-on-1 pass with Lee Taek-hyun! — The synergy between the two players is still evident in the national team! It's the same performance they showed at Bayern Munich! They are shaking the Algerian defense line too easily! Shin Jae-wook, who had penetrated deeply, swung his leg as if to shoot. It was a half-beat faster shooting timing. However, the Algerian defenders had already studied Shin Jae-wook's shooting style. So they reacted quickly. But the shot was a feint. Shin Jae-wook moved to the side just as the Algerian defender stretched out his leg. The defender, having extended his leg, could no longer follow Shin Jae-wook's movements. Boom! It was a precise shot with his left foot. The sharply curved ball drilled into the corner of the Algerian goal. — Equalizing goal! Shin Jae-wook has managed to score the equalizer! Even with a defender in front of him, he calmly controlled the ball and made an accurate shot! Truly world-class! The atmosphere in the stadium completely changed. The Algerian players showed signs of confusion. They knew Shin Jae-wook and Lee Taek-hyun were skilled, but facing them in reality, they were even more challenging opponents than they had thought. 'They're too good... How do we stop them?' 'Just Shin Jae-wook alone is tough, but with Lee Taek-hyun playing this well...' 'Why are Shin Jae-wook and Lee Taek-hyun so good at dribbling? When they decide to dribble, it's impossible to stop them without fouling...' 'It's dangerous... Shin Jae-wook is starting to get a taste for goals...!' On the other hand, the Korean national team players felt a growing confidence that they could win. 'We can beat Algeria, right?' 'Jae-wook and Taek-hyun are doing so well. We've already tied the score. We can definitely do this!' 'Hehe! Are we going to the round of 16?' 'Let's give it our all and do our part. Then we might win.' * * * As Shin Jae-wook and Lee Taek-hyun focused on attacking, the Algerian defense was in emergency mode. They had no choice but to concentrate solely on Shin Jae-wook and Lee Taek-hyun. Even that was difficult to defend against. As a result, other Korean players naturally found opportunities. — Son Hoon-min! Shooting! Wow! It's in! Son Hoon-min is also a player with tremendous shooting power, isn't he? He's recognized in the Bundesliga as a shooter, right? — Algeria let Son Hoon-min shoot too comfortably! It seems they were only focused on stopping Shin Jae-wook and Lee Taek-hyun! The Algerian defenders' minds must be getting more complicated! If they keep focusing on stopping Shin Jae-wook and Lee Taek-hyun, Son Hoon-min will have more freedom like now, and that becomes dangerous! It was Son Hoon-min's goal. A shot from just outside the penalty box connected directly to a goal. — The score is now 3 to 2! Korea has turned the score from 2 to 0 to 3 to 2! This is incredible! — What an exciting game! Five goals have been scored just in the first half! Despite conceding a goal to Son Hoon-min, Algeria still couldn't let their guard down against Shin Jae-wook and Lee Taek-hyun. The skills displayed by the two players were strongly imprinted in the minds of the Algerian players. As a result, Son Hoon-min and Lee Cheong-young continued to find opportunities, and even better chances arose from the second half. — Son Hoon-min crosses! The cross is a bit long, isn't it? Oh! He saw Lee Cheong-young! Lee Cheong-young shoooots! Ah! It's a pity! Lee Cheong-young's shot went off target! Shortly after, Ki Seok-yong, who was standing behind, also found a good shooting opportunity. True to his reputation as one of the top three shooters in the national team, Ki Seok-yong did not hesitate to take a mid-range shot. Boom! The shot was well-struck. Moreover, it was Ki Seok-yong who took the shot. As a player recognized in Europe for his shooting ability, the power behind the ball was tremendous. However, the Algerian goalkeeper's concentration was also remarkable. Reading Ki Seok-yong's shooting timing, he quickly leaped. The Algerian goalkeeper Raïs M'Bolhi, over 190cm tall. He managed to touch the ball shot by Ki Seok-yong with the tips of his fingers. Thwock! The fiercely shot ball suddenly lost its power. Goalkeeper Raïs M'Bolhi moved towards the ball that had been deflected by his fingertips. He had to quickly secure the ball before any Korean player could touch it. But having already leaped once, he couldn't move quickly to grab the ball. And at that moment. The player with the best positioning ability in the world rushed towards the ball as if he had been waiting. Tap! Just before the Algerian goalkeeper could grab the ball. Shin Jae-wook lightly flicked the ball with the tip of his foot. It was a shot that lightly lifted the ball just high enough to be out of the goalkeeper's reach. The ball flew into the goal as the Algerian players watched. — Goooooal! It's Shin Jae-wook again! How many goals is that now? Three, it's his third goal! A hat-trick! — Shin Jae-wook records a hat-trick against Algeria! He scores an additional goal with his incredible positioning ability! Now the score is 4 to 2! South Korea is bringing down Algeria following Russia! And at the center of it all stands the genius, Shin Jae-wook! The stadium erupted. The Korean players screamed excitedly like madmen. Shin Jae-wook, as usual, intended to pick up the ball and head to the center of the field, but his teammates surrounded him, preventing him from doing so. The reaction from the crowd was also tremendous. Waaaaah! As it was the World Cup held in Brazil, not only Koreans but also Brazilians were present in the stadium, and they too shouted hot cheers, acknowledging Shin Jae-wook's skills. "Uwaaaaah! Goooooal! Jae-wook! That's it! Thanks to you, we can do it! We can go to the round of 16!" "You did it again today, Jae-wook! You're really someone I respect as a brother!" "How can you be exactly in the spot where the goalkeeper deflects the ball? When I look at Jae-wook, it's like he has a natural gift for positioning!" "In my opinion, his positioning ability seems even better than a natural gift." Watching his teammates celebrate joyfully, Shin Jae-wook also smiled. He put down the ball he was holding. He wanted to spend time with his teammates who were happier for him than himself. And then, at that moment. Shin Jae-wook's smile deepened. [Your Stamina has increased by 1!] [Your Agility has increased by 1!] It was because of the messages that floated in the air. 'This is worthy of the World Cup.' It was an impressive rate of growth. Even though he had already scored a hat-trick, he wanted to score even more goals. 'Maybe I should be a bit more greedy today?' So Shin Jae-wook made a resolution. To do his best and score as many goals as possible. To give the Algerian players a shocking score. 'Sorry, but my growth comes first.'