# Chapter 101
Doha remembers a streamer who once persistently harassed Jaei. A person who posted maliciously fabricated videos about Jaei for years. He had diligently reported the channel since high school. He even burst into tears when he learned that the videos contained sexual harassment and profanity.
The person who loudly demanded that Jaei return his Cannes and Venice Film Festival trophies apparently said this after meeting Jaei in person and seeing him in the flesh:
[Jaei-ssi, I can’t think of anything right now. Nothing except that you should also grasp the Berlin Film Festival Best Actor award.]
After unconsciously leaving this compliment in person, he reportedly destroyed the channel he had managed for a long time and personally confirmed this to Jaei. And at this moment, his wish to send Jaei to the Berlin Film Festival has been realized in a somewhat similar way.
“Jaei, I believe in the power of words.”
The film that Jaei shot with Sean Alex in America last summer had been selected as an invited work for the Berlin Film Festival. When he received the news, Jaei covered his mouth with his hands to maintain composure. Doha watched Jaei’s cute nostrils twitching and took out his phone to capture the moment.
Covering his nose with both hands, Jaei rolled his lips inward and tightly closed his mouth to maintain his dignity. After putting down his phone, Doha circled around Jaei excitedly clapping and handed him the Hong Duyoung curse doll he had received from the fairy lady.
“Jaei, want to play catch with this?”
“Yes, yes. Let’s go exercise at the park.”
“I think this is the first time I’m getting healthy thanks to Hong Duyoung.”
Doha and Jaei, firmly holding each other’s hands, happily left the house with gloves and Hong Duyoung. As they threw Hong Duyoung, which had been made with substantial weight by adding beads to the cotton bundle, into the air and caught it with gloves, they celebrated actor Lee Jaei’s complete liberation from director Hong Duyoung.
Soon after, Doha departed with Jaei. Though it’s quite common for actors to attend international film festivals with their spouses or lovers, he had no intention of standing together on the red carpet. Despite knowing that he might be seen as “a shameless young man riding on Lee Jaei’s success,” the reason he followed Jaei was, of course, because of Sean Alex.
He still has feelings for Jaei. Having realized that it’s impossible to steal Jaei’s heart right now, he was clearly expressing his affection by pivoting to the position of “actor Lee Jaei’s colleague and friend.” He had sensed that otherwise, all contact from Jaei would be completely cut off.
Well, given that situation, wouldn’t Sean Alex be looking for an opportunity too? He might slip into the seat next to Jaei when Jaei has a fight with his lover, or after reuniting for film schedules, they might drink together and end up in bed by mistake. Therefore, although he had sent Jaei to America without him before, this time he absolutely had to accompany him.
Strongly possessed by the thought that Sean Alex would be looking for an opportunity to sleep with Jaei, Doha did not join the official schedules when the film team moved as a group, but he was always with Jaei during his private time.
He held hands with Jaei while exploring the festival, shared a room with him at the hotel, and traveled during their free time. He practically carried Jaei on his shoulder to prevent Sean Alex from approaching Jaei as much as possible during his private time.
Despite not officially revealing himself externally, Doha became the biggest beneficiary after the festival ended. It started when he was incidentally captured in cameras of paparazzi and ordinary people trying to photograph Sean Alex and Lee Jaei, and after those photos were released, Doha’s visuals became a hot topic among overseas film fans.
Black hair, tall height, and perfect body. Who is the hot guy standing on JAY’s left?
Though his face is boyish, he’s sexy. He looks like he’s protecting JAY from the paparazzi.
Recommend dramas he has appeared in.
* * *
Two months after the film festival ended, Doha surprisingly ranked 62nd in the “World’s Sexiest Stars” poll. Though it was a very modest ranking, Doha was greatly satisfied since he achieved it with just a few photos without having made any special efforts to enter the overseas market.
Ryu Doha still has a long way to go. In three years, he will become a star as famous as Sean Alex and definitely take first place as the sexiest man in the world.
Sean Alex, who failed to emit “Oriental sexiness” or “saekgi” (to borrow Jaei’s expression) relative to Doha in the photos they were captured in together, dropped in ranking to 8th place because of it.
As Nia Sermon’s film with Sean Alex was officially released in Korea, Jaei has been busy with promotions. Throughout the promotion schedule, he has been wearing a ring that Doha gave him. He said he would only take off the ring when he needed to play another character, but otherwise, he had no intention of removing it.
Doha is currently shooting an original drama for a large OTT platform. It’s a disaster genre mixed with fantasy elements, and his role requires him to be physically adept while emanating boyishness. It will probably be a new challenge.
According to Jaei’s advice, while it’s good to become sexy quickly and emit maturity, he should first take on many roles that he can only do in his early 20s. Although human Ryu Doha’s childhood has returned, actor Ryu Doha’s debut period won’t come back.
Doha headed to the hair salon with a magazine containing Jaei’s photoshoot and interview in his hands. Though the magazine would likely already be displayed at the salon, Doha, as a fan of Lee Jaei, was unconditionally purchasing everything he could get through other channels as well.
Jaei, who had dyed his hair jet black during his hiatus, was decorating the cover in an all-black outfit, looking as captivating as ever. Jaei really took good photos. Not to mention his expressions, he also used his body well, especially his hands.
Seated in the salon chair, Doha opened the magazine. In the section where the brands of sponsored outfits, props, and jewelry were listed, there was a phrase that read “ring is personal collection.”
Q. The consensus is that your performance in director Nia Sermon’s film “To Be Born Again” is the best among all the performances actor Lee Jaei has shown so far.
A. She took care of me constantly throughout the filming. Because we filmed in the United States, everything changed—the sleeping arrangements, the time difference, the food. I’m a sensitive person, so I’m picky about both my bed and even water. So I was more careful. Fortunately, the filming environment was good. I want to tell all actors: sensitivity is a blessing, but don’t let it eat you away. I hope you always take care of your mind and body first. It’s also an old saying that great results come when an artist is unhappy. Sensitive people have to work harder than others to be happy. That’s how they survive. I’m not talking about surviving as an actor. I’m talking about ‘survival’ in the life and death of a human. You have to survive to be able to act.
Q. You were very active last year and all were successful, but you must have had a hard time with personal matters.
A. A lot happened and I learned a lot too. A director must have responsibility as a creator. Of course, the same goes for established actors. For the numerous child actors and rookies who dream of becoming actors.
Q. Does the ring have a special meaning?
A. It does. A love without an end.
Q. Can we assume you’re in a relationship?
A. That’s right.
Q. This is the first time you’ve revealed that you’re dating.
A. I don’t intend to reveal who the other person is. Not for any other reason, but because it would interfere with viewers and audience immersion in the works. Fans probably noticed it already. They would have felt my changes even before I wore the ring. Fans seem to know everything. But they don’t mention the ring because they think it might harm me. But rather than feeling disappointed, they seem to be secretly relieved. I must have looked very anxious all this time.
Q. Your stock return rate of 50% loss became a hot topic. How is it now?
A. I didn’t pay attention and just left it as it was. It’s currently at a 32% profit.
Doha, who was calmly reading the interview with a smile on his lips, turned his head toward the TV. Breaking news was flowing from the news broadcast.
—Film director Hong Duyoung, who was detained and indicted on charges of murdering two child actors, has received a final sentence from the Supreme Court. Hong Duyoung, who instigated the murder of a 13-year-old adolescent 13 years ago, caused great shock when it was additionally revealed that he had murdered a 16-year-old adolescent. The Supreme Court has… to Hong Duyoung, a guardian who essentially had an obligation to protect and supervise by employing children under the age of 18…
Doha continued to stare at the anchor’s face for a long time even after the report related to Hong Duyoung ended. After bowing his head in greeting to the hair designer who spoke to him, he gripped his phone and called somewhere.
“…Congratulations, Jaei.”
fin.
