Superstar From Age 0

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: AgRoseCrystal

Chapter 640

“Okay! Cut!”

The actor who played the role of Linda’s father stopped right before opening the door, as the director shouted “cut”. The actors who were focused on their roles slowly relaxed.

“Let’s take a break until the next scene.”

Director Sarah Roth checked the outside scenery and the time. 

The previous shootings had finished faster than expected, so it was a bit early to shoot the next scene.

The actors nodded and dispersed, either checking their scripts again or monitoring their performances. 

Seo-jun, Catherine, and Paul were watching the previous scenes and talking with Director Sarah Roth.

“You all play very well.”

“We practiced this one song for a long time.”

Seo-jun said, and Director Sarah Roth smiled.

[Over the Rainbow 2] was planned and Seo-jun’s casting was confirmed last year. The actors had been working on one song for almost a year, so it was hard to hear anything bad.

Seo-jun recalled the musicians from the previous shootings. 

The old man in Cleveland and the three musicians in Chicago.

“Did the musicians in Cleveland and Chicago also practice for a year, Director?”

“No. They are not professionals, but they have been playing regularly. They didn’t have any lines or acting, so we just hired people who could actually play the instruments.”

‘Oh.’

That’s why they felt different from the ‘Linda family’.

If the ‘Linda family’ actors seemed to act like they liked music, the four people looked like they really loved music.

Seo-jun grinned.

He liked both types of people.

“Jun! Do you want a sandwich?”

“Sure.”

Sandwiches, drinks, and snacks were prepared to fill the stomachs of the actors and staff. Dinner would be ready after the next shooting.

After eating and resting for a while, it was the perfect time to shoot.

To capture a better scenery, Director Sarah Roth and the staff moved busily, and the actors immersed themselves in their roles again.

“Jun.”

“Yes.”

Director Sarah Roth called Seo-jun.

“I don’t mean to pressure you, but I hope you can shoot this scene in one take.”

The actor who loved and was sincere about acting more than anything else smiled brightly.

“Don’t worry. I’ll do my best as always.”

“Good.”

There was no more reassuring answer than that, and Director Sarah Roth smiled brightly.

“We’re starting the shooting!”

At Emily’s words, the assistant director, the cameras inside and outside the house focused. Director Sarah Roth, who was watching through the monitor, shouted.

“Ready,”

And Seo-jun became ‘Gray Vainy’ as always.

“Action!”

Linda’s father turned the handle and opened the door.

A bright light came in through the slowly opening door. Gray’s eyes, who was looking anxiously, slowly widened. George’s camera captured the warm orange light touching Gray’s face.

“This is the scenery our family loves the most.”

“I hope Gray likes it too!”

Hearing the proud voices of the Linda family, Gray stepped forward.

The sun, which slowly changed the end of the blue sky to red, yellow, and orange, was visible.

It was a sunset.

A sunset.

The orange sunset filled the sky and the ground.

The light landed on the golden wheat field, dyeing everything around it orange.

“Ah…”

He gasped at the amazing natural scenery.

Gray slowly went down the stairs and approached the wheat field. It felt like he was approaching the golden sun that was burning brightly.

George moved the camera slowly, filming the orange sunset, the golden wheat field, and Gray standing alone in front of them. It felt like watching a classic painting.

Gray couldn’t take his eyes off this scenery.

His chest was so full that he felt suffocated.

He felt like he could hear the Linda family’s ensemble from a while ago, as he watched the sunset. He also remembered the cheerful dinner with them, where stories and smiles were exchanged.

The gentle light of the sun that spread over the sky and the ground, and the warm love of the family.

The light of the sunset, the love, reached Gray. His chest and head relaxed, and his comfortable heart was filled with a new melody.

“Violin…”

He wanted to play it.

“Here!”

Rebecca, who was quietly waiting, quickly handed him the violin. She looked more nervous than Gray, but he didn’t notice.

“Thank you.”

Gray took out the violin from the case and placed it on his chin. And without a second of hesitation, he drew the bow.

♬

A slow and tender melody came out of Gray’s fingertips.

Like the sunset light that touched everything, it dyed the ground, the wheat field, the sky, and even Rebecca, George, and the Linda family who were listening quietly.

As Gray moved the bow and pressed the strings, the warm sunset light that filled the sky, the wide horizon of the golden wheat field, the pleasant dinner time with the Linda family, and the impressive but clumsy performance that they exchanged eye contact with, changed into a melody.

It was a moment when even admiration was swallowed for fear of interrupting.

It was ordinary, but not so ordinary.

It was like a sunset that you could see every day when the sun sets, but it was amazing when you experienced it yourself.

It was like the love of a family that you don’t realize when you have it, but you feel it when you don’t.

It was such a song, but

[(Pre)Flame of Phlox-Medium Level is activated.]

[(Pre)Flame of Phlox-Medium Level-]

The fire and love spirit, Phlox.

It amplifies the affection and love in the target’s heart by 2 times.

Phlox, the spirit that is born from the emotions of living beings.

This warm and tender flame, which is also used as an ingredient for love potions, followed the violin’s melody and spread like a sunset.

With Seo-jun’s ability added, the actors’ faces naturally smiled. It was not acting. They were all immersed in Gray’s performance. The staff were the same. They made no sound and just listened.

♪♪

It was a song that reminded them of the warm and cozy atmosphere of having dinner with their loved ones, whether they were family, lovers, or friends. Those who thought of their distant family who they hadn’t seen for a long time shed a tear.

Let’s have dinner together when the work is over.

Listening to this cozy melody, people filled their hearts with that thought.

It was such a tender song.

[Gray’s Violin Performance NO.4: Good evening].

♪

The music of [Good Evening] continued along with the sunset scenery.

Sarah Roth, the director, thought that it felt different to hear it live than to listen to the sample. That’s why she loved music. She also admired Seo-jun, who composed such a song.

Sarah Roth wanted to convey the same emotion and excitement that she felt to the moviegoers. So she tried hard to divert her attention from the music to the monitor.

The monitor screen showed the scene.

Gray, playing the violin in the wheat field that swayed gently in the wind, looked like a painting against the setting sun in the west.

–!

Perfectly until the last note!

Gray finished [Good Evening] with a big bow stroke. He seemed to be completely immersed in the music, even though he was playing an improvisation. His forehead was covered with beads of sweat and he breathed lightly.

The violin performance was over, but the faint melody of [Good Evening] seemed to linger in the air with the remaining light of the sunset. The surroundings were quiet, as if enjoying the afterglow.

The first ones to snap out of it were Rebecca and George, who were familiar with Gray.

“Gray! You’re amazing!”

Clap clap clap!

The Linda family also came to their senses at Rebecca’s applause. They quickly remembered their next lines and approached Gray, who was receiving enthusiastic compliments from Rebecca.

“Wow! What a wonderful performance!”

“Was that an improvisation?!”

“You’re awesome! Really!”

They didn’t know if they were saying the lines from the script or their sincere words.

Anyway, the actors’ faces were flushed with emotion and it was clear that they were deeply moved.

“…Cut! Okay!”

As soon as Sarah Roth’s voice was heard, clap clap clap! The applause erupted. It was the reaction of the staff who had been holding back not to disturb the shooting.

“I have to buy the music when it comes out!”

“Me too. I’ll listen to it at home whenever I miss my family.”

“Then won’t you become a crybaby?”

They sniffed their noses as they spoke, but their hands didn’t stop clapping.

Seo-jun bowed slightly to the staff with a playful face, as if he was Gray on the stage. The applause got louder.

“How was I, Director?”

“You did great, Jun.”

Sarah Roth smiled brightly as she saw Seo-jun, who had finished the shooting perfectly without a single mistake.

***

After dinner with the actors and staff.

The rest of the shooting continued.

“Ready, action!”

Rebecca stayed with Linda in Linda’s room, while Gray and George stayed in the guest room on the second floor. The documentary staff went back to Kansas City and agreed to come back tomorrow morning.

“Oh. Stars.”

It was a suburb a little away from Kansas City, and the stars in the night sky were very visible. Gray and George sat by the window and drank the warm tea that Linda’s grandmother had made.

“It’s been a long time since we spent time together like this.”

“Yeah.”

It had only been a few years…

In Starfield, where Rebecca and George’s house was, and in Downlock, where his house was.

They had spent time sleeping, playing, and laughing at each other’s houses, as if it was a long time ago.

George, who had been quietly looking at the night sky, opened his mouth.

“Gray.”

“Hmm?”

“…Don’t you regret it?”

“Regret?”

Gray looked at George. George was still looking at the night sky.

“What do you regret?”

“…The crowdfunding, I mean.”

The thing that he had suggested when he was young.

George spoke slowly.

“Your story became known to the world.”

His voice sounded choked somehow.

“And you got people’s attention.”

“I don’t regret it.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

At the crisp answer that came in an instant, George turned his head and looked at Gray. Gray had a rare firm expression.

No, maybe it wasn’t rare.

This kind and gentle guy always had that firm and upright expression when it came to the violin.

“If it weren’t for George and Rebecca, if it weren’t for the crowdfunding, I wouldn’t have met the violin and I wouldn’t have been able to play like this.”

“…Yeah.”

George smiled helplessly as he heard Gray’s sincere words and got up from his seat. It was time to get ready for bed.

In the place where George left to wash up.

Gray looked out the window quietly. The sky that had been dyed with warm orange and the golden wheat field that made his heart feel rich were dark and silent.

The darkness spread over Gray’s face.

He had worried them.

When did they realize that something was wrong with him? Maybe he shouldn’t have agreed to the documentary shooting. But then they might have thought it was even stranger.

His hands holding the teacup trembled. The teacup should have been warm, but he didn’t feel any warmth. If George found out about his slump, soon Rebecca, his mother, his teacher, and the audience would notice.

He was scared.

He always wanted to show them his good and successful side.

He wanted to show them proudly that their help was not a mistake, that it was a great help.

Gray’s face reflected in the dark glass window was filled with sadness and sorrow.

***

The next day.

“Goodbye, Gray!”

“It was fun.”

“I’ll definitely get a ticket for the next concert!”

With the cheerful farewell of the Linda family, Gray, Rebecca, and the documentary team headed back to Kansas City. They planned to take a plane from Kansas City to LA, where Starfield and Downlock were (in the movie setting).

“Cut, okay!”

The shooting team of [Over the Rainbow 2] was the same.

At Sarah Roth’s okay sign, the staff started to pack up the shooting equipment.

“We’ll have lunch and leave for LA in two hours.”

“Okay. Got it.”

Seo-jun, who was removing his makeup, nodded at Choi Tae Woo’s words.

LA, Los Angeles.

His heart fluttered as he was going to his second hometown for the first time in years.