Chapter 85 – Reaction – Part 13

Chapter 85 – Reaction – Part 13

Woojin closed his eyes and felt the touch of the makeup artist.

It was the process of covering something on his eyelids.

In this way, humans can feel sensations through the surface of their skin.

With eyes closed, it’s dark, but one can imagine, even if they can’t see.

Most people are like that.

However, a very, very small minority are different.

People see something with their eyes, and the light signals are transmitted to the retina and optic nerve, reaching the visual cortex at the back of the brain, leading to conscious vision.

The brain then recognizes that it is seeing something.

In this way, hearing, touch, sight.

What is seen, heard, and touched are all different, but the mechanism by which neurons transmit is the same.

Nerve cells transmit the mechanisms of seeing, hearing, and touching to the brain as the same signal.

This means that depending on whether the transmission goes to the visual cortex, the auditory cortex, or the tactile sense, the brain recognizes that it has seen, touched, or heard.

Thus, only the organs that receive information are different, and the transmission method is the same for touch, sight, and hearing.

But what if the transmission method goes wrong here, and information that should go to the auditory cortex goes to the visual cortex?

Even if you hear it, you’ll see it.

It was a phenomenon that appeared in a very small number of people.

One signal is not transmitted to the correct center but to various parts.

Some people see colors when they hear sounds.

Even black text appeared colorful, and there were people who tasted sourness when they heard the note ‘do’ in do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si-do, or sweetness when they heard ‘sol’.

Such people are called synesthetes.

To name a few, there’s Franz Liszt (a synesthete who sees colors when he hears music), artist Wassily Kandinsky (a synesthete with associations of color, sound, touch, and smell), and physicist Richard Feynman (a synesthete who sees colors when he looks at the Room equation).

As a composer, there was the Russian pianist Scriabin.

Whenever he heard music in C major, D major, etc., he saw colors such as blue, white, and yellow.

This was because auditory information was transmitted to both the auditory and visual centers.

So, Woojin suggested to Director Jo Jeonghwan that they change the title.

From [Braille Murder] to [Synesthete].

‘What is that? Is it like a supernatural power?’

Naturally, Woojin shook his head and explained about synesthesia.

Jo Jeonghwan, who had been listening blankly at first, felt a chill run down his spine once he understood synesthesia.

It was a thrill of delight.

He hadn’t even known such a thing existed, and hearing that it actually did made the story richer and seemed like it would amplify the impression on the audience.

It was very fresh.

Also, the story changed a lot from the flow Jo Jeonghwan had imagined, thanks to Woojin.

He had intended to base it on a true story, but Woojin completely changed direction and created it as if he were building a new board.

Jo Jeonghwan loved it, and the person who loved it even more was his senior at Media Dragon.

‘Let’s proceed immediately!’

Jo Jeonghwan was overjoyed, yet also very cautious.

If it became known that Woojin was the one who wrote Synesthete, it would be clear that not only his honor but also his value, or rather, that he would become a scarecrow.

Fortunately, Woojin had asked him not to mention his story.

After finishing his makeup, Woojin looked at his face in the mirror from various angles.

His thick eyebrows were lightened, and his eyelids were slightly raised.

And using dark makeup, his cheeks even looked slightly sunken.

He approached Jo Jeonghwan, who was nodding with satisfaction.

Jo Jeonghwan asked playfully.

Who are you?

Have I become unrecognizable?

Jo Jeonghwan examined Woojin’s face from various angles, stroking his chin.

“I assigned you someone good at makeup, but it seems it was still hard to hide your original good looks, Woojin.”

“That would be a problem…”

“Huh?”

“I don’t want to reveal my face.”

He’s a strange one.

There are countless people desperate to get their faces on screen even as an extra.

This guy wants to hide his face while being an extra.

What in the world…

Jo Jeonghwan, whose head was starting to heat up again, smiled subtly.

He shouldn’t argue with him.

If he says it’s like that, then it is.

If he dislikes it, then it’s disliked, and if he likes it, then it should be accommodated.

“It’s a joke. A joke. Hahaha. You’re unrecognizable. What appears on camera is different from real life, so we can monitor it later. We also have a video editing team.”

Monitoring an extra’s acting.

Unless an extra stared directly at the camera or made a mistake, it was impossible to single out an extra for monitoring.

But Woojin…

“Yes, I understand.”

“Alright.”

If anyone had overheard their conversation, they would have asked if they were crazy.

Woojin sat in a corner, watching the increasingly busy footwork and equipment.

“Filming set…”

Woojin took in every detail of the unfolding scene, as if to engrave it in his memory.

Just then, a Thug walked past Woojin, who was sitting down.

It was 29-year-old Kim Min, playing the role of a Detective.

He had appeared as a Supporting Actor in a drama that ended successfully a month ago, and he was an Actor whose popularity had soared.

Woojin’s gaze couldn’t leave him, as it was his first time actually seeing an Actor.

No, that was only for a moment.

Woojin took out a Notebook and a marker pen from his bag and approached him, who was with Jo Jeonghwan.

And he recited the words he had prepared beforehand.

“Kim Min, my big brother! I’m a huge fan! Could you please give me an autograph?”

Jo Jeonghwan laughed, and Kim Min’s gaze scanned Woojin up and down.

He didn’t know the person, and his eyes seemed to wonder how he had managed to get so deep into the filming set.

Kim Min asked with an awkward smile.

“Who…?”

Jo Jeonghwan answered for him.

“An Extra… Oh, no, a friend of mine. He said he wanted to try being an Extra.”

“Ah, I see…”

Kim Min gave him an autograph, and Woojin asked one more favor.

“Could you possibly take a picture with me too?”

Kim Min’s face showed annoyance, but like an Actor, he quickly changed his expression and smiled.

Naturally, Woojin read that easily.

“Of course.”

The moment Woojin raised his Cellphone and stood next to Kim Min.

Click.

He took the picture immediately, not even giving Kim Min time to pose.

“Thank you. You’re handsome.”

“Should I take it again?”

“No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

Woojin bowed his head slightly and returned to his seat.

A celebrity’s autograph and photo held no special meaning for Woojin.

He just wanted to try it out.

However, Kim Min felt a bit off.

She felt like the photo was taken strangely, and if it were uploaded strangely to social media… more than anything, when he took the photo and said thank you, his voice had inflection but seemed to lack soul.

“Mr. Kim Min.”

Kim Min, who had been watching Woojin’s back, turned her head at Jo Jeonghwan’s voice.

***

Rehearsals were underway.

A yellow police line was drawn in the alley, and extras took their places as onlookers.

Jo Jeonghwan glanced at Woojin, who was among the onlookers.

He was originally Onlooker 1, but at Woojin’s suggestion that he stood out too much, he was changed to Onlooker 3.

If that was the case, he should have just worn a hat and a mask….

But he didn’t want to do that either.

Thus, all rehearsals concluded, and after a short time, the actual filming began.

The long-awaited first scene was about to begin.

“Everyone, please get ready! Move a little more to the side!”

The voice of a staff member, directed by Jo Jeonghwan, echoed, and soon the movie slate made a crisp sound.

Clack!

*

“Is it a murder case?”

“This is scary, how can we live?”

“Is there a person here? Was the criminal caught?”

The murmurs and actions of the onlookers were captured by both microphones and cameras.

Among them, there was someone jumping up and down behind the onlookers, seemingly trying to see the crime scene.

It was Onlooker 3, Woojin.

As Woojin kept hopping in place like a Jiangshi, the police officer with his back to the police line said,

“Mister! You’ll get hurt if you keep doing that!”

“I’m not a mister!”

The police officer sighed deeply at Onlooker 3’s words, and Detective Kim Min and Detective Kang Woohyuk pushed their way through the crowd and arrived at the scene.

Onlooker 3 didn’t touch the camera and watched the scene without anyone knowing.

Detective Kang Woohyuk asked his colleague,

“Their identity?”

“Kim Yewon, 26 years old. Lives in Seongnam Pangyo.”

“Anything found?”

“Nothing special yet.”

“There was a missing person case near here last time too, right?”

“Yes. Park Jimin, 28 years old…”

“Damn it… I told them to install more CCTV. Where are they spending all the tax money?”

Detective Kang Woohyuk, muttering to himself, approached the body.

He frowned at the sight of the blood pooling around the body.

“It doesn’t seem to be a knife?”

One of the forensic team members opened his mouth in response to Kang Woohyuk’s question.

“It’s too big to be an awl. It looks like a sharp object, like a chisel…”

“Crazy bastard.”

The neck was pierced by a sharp object.

Judging by the blood pooled around, it seemed like the death was due to excessive bleeding.

Just then, Kang Woohyuk received a call.

“Yes, Team Leader. I’m at the scene.”

Kang Woohyuk, listening to the Team Leader, ruffled his hair.

“No, Team Leader! As the kids these days say, ‘ghosting’! I have a mountain of work to do, why should I investigate a Missing Person Case! Whether it’s two people or three, that’s another team’s job…”

Kang Woohyuk sighed deeply, putting his right hand on his hip.

“Yes. Yes.”

After hanging up the phone, Kang Woohyuk placed a hand on his fellow Detective’s shoulder.

“I’m going.”

“Huh? Where to?”

“They want me to take the Missing Person Case. A disappearance.”

Kang Woohyuk left the Alley as he was.

“Cut!”

As the Director’s signal was heard, the woman, who had seemed terribly murdered, got up as if nothing had happened.

The other Extras also returned to their places.

Kim Min and the two who played his colleagues approached the Director.

“Director, did it turn out well?”

“Okay, I like it, let’s watch it together.”

Watching them, Woojin once again recalled his memories.

About his acting.

“Good, it was natural.”

Woojin’s lips curved up slightly.

After 10 minutes, Jo Jeonghwan approached Woojin.

“Mr. Woojin, you’re a good actor! It was great for the comedic element. I don’t think you even need to Monitor it?”

“I want to.”

As if he wouldn’t.

“If Mr. Woojin wants to do it, then of course you should! Let’s go.”

Woojin followed Jo Jeonghwan and sat in front of the Monitor.

The Staff members glanced at the scene, and Kim Min watched from afar, chuckling.

His manager said,

“That extra’s acquaintance doesn’t seem like just an acquaintance, does he?”

It made no sense for an extra to be monitoring with the director.

“Did an investor put him in? Or does he have strong backing?”

“It seems so.”

Kim Min chuckled again.

It was like watching a child.

He just looked like a child pestering his rich parents, wanting to be a celebrity because he lacked the talent.

“How pathetic.”

As Kim Min was muttering that, Jo Jeonghwan was grinning.

Woojin repeatedly jumping in place like a zombie to see the crime scene seemed perfect for the opening.

No, it definitely created laughter.

“I don’t think it’s Woojin. His face is also visible slightly every time he jumps.”

Woojin nodded.

He looked natural, like a neighborhood slacker.

“Kim Min’s acting is good too.”

At Jo Jeonghwan’s words, Woojin didn’t nod this time.

Instead, he opened his mouth.

“I think we need an advisor.”

Jo Jeonghwan’s eyes widened slightly as he looked at Woojin.

“An advisor? Are you saying we should add a torture scene?”

Woojin looked at Jo Jeonghwan with a ‘what are you talking about?’ expression.

“Not physical torture, but an advisor who can give opinions and advice.”

Understanding what he meant, Jo Jeonghwan wanted to say something to Woojin.

‘I feel like I’m going crazy when I talk to you.’