Chapter 141
In front of the fountain at Cannes’ central square, countless people were passing by.
Even among all of them, I spotted Gil Boyoung immediately.
“Noona!”
At the sound of my voice, Gil Boyoung quickly turned toward me.
Without even thinking about who moved first, we ran toward each other and clasped both hands.
“Kibaek!”
“Noona, what happened? You definitely said your filming schedule overlapped and that you probably couldn’t come.”
“Surprise.”
Gil Boyoung laughed brightly.
“I lied a little because I wanted to surprise you.”
Last autumn, while working in Japan, Gil Boyoung had received an offer from a French director to appear in his film.
The story followed three women from different countries who came to study in France and gradually became friends despite cultural and language differences.
Gil Boyoung had been offered the role of a Korean international student.
Acting in English and French in another unfamiliar environment had been intimidating.
But the character was appealing, and the director had personally tried very hard to persuade her.
In the end, Gil Boyoung accepted.
Filming had begun in March and was now almost finished.
When Gil Boyoung heard that Director Song Jaehyun’s film had been invited to this year’s Cannes Film Festival, she told me she would come to Cannes.
We had even agreed to meet here.
But the day before we left for Cannes, she contacted me and said her filming schedule overlapped, so she probably wouldn’t be able to make it.
I had been quite disappointed.
And yet here she was now, standing right in front of me and smiling as she said, Surprise.
After laughing for a while, Gil Boyoung suddenly seemed to remember something.
Her eyes quickly scanned me from head to toe.
“By the way, you don’t have any aftereffects from the car accident, do you?”
“You look completely fine from the outside, but...”
“I’m fine.”
I smiled.
“I really only got hurt a little.”
“Really? Hyunbin oppa said it was practically a miracle that you survived without serious injuries.”
Her expression softened.
“Anyway, I’m sorry I couldn’t come see you.”
“No, really.”
I waved it off.
“I’m completely fine.”
Then Gil Boyoung tilted her head and looked at me again.
“By the way, our Kibaek seems to have gotten a lot more handsome since I last saw you.”
She grinned.
“Is it because we’re meeting somewhere like Cannes? You seem kind of sophisticated now.”
“I’ve always been handsome.”
“Look at you.”
She laughed.
“You’re getting more shameless every time I see you.”
“Come on.”
I grabbed her hand.
“Let’s go see Director Song first. Everyone’s going to be really happy when they see you.”
But Gil Boyoung stopped me.
“Ah, wait.”
“I actually came with someone, so I have to go for now.”
“With someone?”
Gil Boyoung turned around and gestured toward a blond man who looked to be in his early to mid-thirties.
He had been watching us from near the fountain.
The blond man smiled and approached.
Gil Boyoung introduced him.
“This is Director Philippe Carrière, the director of the film I’m shooting right now.”
“Ah, hello.”
Without thinking, I greeted him in Korean.
“An-nyeong-ha-se-yo.”
Director Carrière replied in awkward Korean.
I blinked.
“Oh? You can speak Korean?”
Carrière quickly waved his hands and answered in a mixture of English and French.
“Ah, sorry. I don’t speak Korean.”
“Boyoung taught me that sentence.”
Then he smiled.
“So you are Min Kibaek. Nice to meet you.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you from Boyoung.”
Gil Boyoung translated his words for me.
“Ah, yes. Nice to meet you too.”
I gave an awkward smile.
Gil Boyoung continued.
“Director Carrière is here for the festival as a member of the French Directors’ Association.”
“Ah... I see.”
“And Carrière has seen both Director Song’s Home Sweet Home and Timeless.”
“Really?”
For some reason, it felt strange to hear that a French director I had never met had seen both of Song Jaehyun’s films.
“Actually, the reason Carrière cast me was because he liked my acting in Director Song’s Home Sweet Home.”
“He watched the Japanese films I appeared in afterward too, and then made me the offer.”
“Ah, I see...”
Gil Boyoung explained that she would be attending the Cannes opening ceremony with Carrière, so we could meet again there.
“Sure.”
“I’ll tell everyone you’re here. They’re going to be really happy.”
“No!”
Gil Boyoung immediately stopped me.
“Surprise.”
“I want to surprise them too.”
She laughed mischievously.
Then Carrière, standing beside her, slowly spoke in broken Korean.
“I like Song Jae-hyeon director movie very much.”
“I want meet him.”
I smiled.
“When we meet at the opening ceremony tonight, I’ll introduce you.”
At my promise, Carrière nodded gratefully.
Then he glanced between his watch and Gil Boyoung.
“Boyoung, I think we really need to go now.”
“If we wait any longer, we’re going to be late.”
Gil Boyoung nodded.
“Okay.”
Then she turned toward me.
“I’ll see you at the opening ceremony tonight.”
“Yes, noona.”
“See you then.”
I watched Gil Boyoung walk away with a pleased smile before continuing on my way.
Six in the evening.
A refreshing sea breeze blew in from the coast.
In front of the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals, where the opening ceremony was being held, hundreds of camera flashes were already going off like lightning.
Director Song Jaehyun, CEO Han Taesung, the three lead actors of Kingdom of Crime, and I stood in the waiting area after having our invitations checked.
Dozens of famous figures were already lined up ahead of us, waiting to step onto the red carpet.
Every time a celebrity appeared, cheers erupted and cameras flashed endlessly.
Trying to hide my nervousness, I kept loosening and tightening my poor tie.
“You look nervous.”
Han Taesung smirked at me.
“Is it that obvious?”
I gave a short laugh.
