Chapter 432: Beast (1)

Translator: Santos

 

It was the morning of July 2.

In a slightly grimy downtown area with homeless people dotting the sidewalks, towering buildings loomed overhead. Shops lined the streets, tightly packed, and the sidewalk bustled with people moving at a hurried pace.

And the street itself?

*Honk! Honk! BEEP! BEEP!*

As soon as traffic hit a standstill, horns blared incessantly. A taxi driver in a yellow cab rolled down his window and cursed at the car in front of him.

“Move it, dammit!”

The driver of the pickup truck ahead rolled down his own window to yell back.

“Shut it! You think I don’t want to move?! Hey! You wanna die?!” 

The shouting and screaming filled the road, blending with the chaotic noise of the city. The cacophony was overwhelming, but the people living here seemed used to it, each going about their own business. The taxi driver’s eyes suddenly widened as he caught sight of something.

“What… the hell is that?!”

On the sidewalk ahead, a grotesque figure ambled along. Was that even human? The taxi driver squinted in confusion, his gaze fixed on the disturbing clown figure walking down the street. This “clown” had slicked-back, bright red hair, pale white skin, and dark, red-rimmed eyes, nose, and mouth.

His outfit was equally peculiar—a red jacket and pants, a blue shirt, a yellow vest, worn brown shoes, and mismatched red and blue socks.

And yet, despite the outlandish appearance, one thing was clear.

*Step, step, step.*

This clown walked with a commanding presence, radiating an energy that suggested anyone who dared block his path would be brushed aside. There was something almost feral about him.

*Step, step, step.*

The Joker had a cigarette between his lips, and he exhaled a long plume of smoke. With a nonchalant swipe of his hand, he brushed his red hair back, continuing his stride without pausing. People on the sidewalk and drivers alike stared, as if they were witnessing a wild animal on the loose.

Or perhaps a spreading plague.

The Joker was anything but “normal.” He was eye-catching, enough to incite both fear and unease. Some people pointed and laughed nervously, others fled in fright, and a few even called the police.

But so what? What could they possibly do about it?

Kang Woo-jin, as the Joker, strode forward unflinchingly, with two cameramen alternately filming him from his side and front.

“Phew…”

Woo-jin blew out another long stream of smoke, and suddenly—

*♬♪

Music began playing on the street, and Woo-jin’s body responded instinctively, moving to the rhythm. He started dancing. Those watching looked on, faces twisting in expressions of horror and confusion. What the hell is this maniac doing? But the Joker’s dancing only grew bolder, his movements sharp and intense, the cigarette still clenched between his teeth.

At one point, he spun around with a flourish and muttered under his breath in a deep, indifferent tone.

“This is just too damn fun.”

The camera pulled back, capturing him from a wider angle, and then a different camera filmed him head-on from about ten steps away.

*Step, step, step.*

Woo-jin took out a new cigarette, lit it, and took a drag, blowing smoke toward the sky before continuing his walk. One step, two steps, three steps—he walked unimpeded, his Joker persona dominating the street.

*This shot is phenomenal,* Director Ahn thought as he watched the monitors with a group of staff members, most of them foreign. Woo-jin’s performance brought Director Ahn’s vision to life, the crew marveling as they watched.

“There’s a saying—life is a comedy when seen from afar, but a tragedy up close. That’s what this Joker embodies in his steps.”

“When I heard the concept, I thought it would be an interesting scene, but seeing it in action is even better.”

“The Joker’s exaggerated, painted grin looks like he’s laughing from a distance, but as he gets closer, you can tell his real expression is dead serious.”

Indeed, on the monitor, Woo-jin’s face showed a clever contrast. From afar, the painted, wide mouth made him seem like he was grinning, but as the camera zoomed in, it was clear his true expression was a cold, detached stare. This was Director Ahn’s intention.

A face that was both comedic and tragic, like a clown mocking the world and its hypocrisies. I know you all wear masks, but I am free from them.

Suddenly—

“Hey!”

A shout came from behind him. Woo-jin stopped, brushing back his red hair as he looked over his shoulder. Two burly police officers stood a fair distance away, gesturing for him to come over.

“Hey, you! Get over here!”

Responding to a report, the police had arrived. The cameraman shifted to capture Woo-jin’s face as he turned to look at the officers. In the past, such a confrontation would have left him tense and frozen, but now he was the Joker, fully immersed in character. Woo-jin took a long drag from his cigarette, placed one hand on his chest, and gave them a theatrical bow as if they were audience members at his curtain call.

To the officers, the sight of a grotesque clown suddenly bowing was downright chilling.

“What… what the hell is with this freak?”

Woo-jin’s response, however, was anything but courteous.

“Hello there, porkers!”

The officers’ eyes widened.

“What the?! Get him! Now!”

The two hefty officers started running, but Woo-jin, his Joker smile wide and crazed, just laughed louder.

“Hee hee hee!”

He started running too, his expression one of manic glee, painted or real. The camera captured the chaotic flutter of his pant legs, under which his mismatched red and blue socks were clearly visible.

The Joker had entered the world of *Piero: Birth of a Villain*.

“Hee hee hee! Ha ha ha ha!”

Woo-jin, as the Joker, cackled wildly as he led the police on a chase, his face an intense close-up of exaggerated, psychotic glee. His white face, square-rimmed eyes painted sharply, red dots on his nose and brows, and a wide, blood-red smile made him the picture of madness.

The international crew watched Woo-jin’s performance, enraptured, among them Choi Sung-geon, who stood with his arms crossed and a slight smirk.

‘Man, it’s a shame he can’t do the full Joker face makeup at the *Emmys*.’

He imagined Woo-jin striding down the *Emmy* red carpet in full Joker makeup, feeling a thrill of excitement.

Finally—

“Cut. Okay.”

Director Ahn gave the signal. Woo-jin, still in his grotesque makeup, approached him, the two engaging in a brief conversation. Choi Sung-geon’s phone buzzed as he watched, and he discreetly stepped aside to take the call.

A few minutes later, Choi Sung-geon approached Woo-jin, who had just finished speaking with Director Ahn.

“Woo-jin.”

He waved his phone with a smile.

“We got the script reading date for *Beauty and the Beast*. July 18th—just two weeks away.”

---

A few days later, on July 6, Woo-jin found himself at the headquarters of *Walt Disney Pictures*, the sprawling complex resembling a theme park. Today, he was dressed casually in a black T-shirt and jeans, his face set in his usual stoic expression.

The reason for his visit was simple. Before the script reading, he and Miley Cara, who would be playing Belle, had a preliminary meeting to discuss their characters. With *Beauty and the Beast* being an adaptation, the goal was to get familiar with key elements to ensure a smoother script reading.

Stepping into a large conference room, Woo-jin took in the crowd.

*Wow, it’s packed in here.*

He greeted the foreign staff and exchanged pleasantries with Director Bill Roettner. They spent about ten minutes catching up, discussing recent events and the latest industry buzz. Woo-jin eventually took his seat near the window, noticing a screen on the wall where a presentation was likely to be shown.

Then—

“Oh! Miley!”

Miley Cara entered through the back door, her blond hair straightened and her makeup flawless. Director Roettner, noticing her look, asked with a hint of curiosity.

“Miley, do you have other plans after this meeting? You look especially put-together today.”

She smiled and shrugged, dismissing it.

“No, this is just my usual look.”

“Ah, is that so?”

As Miley glanced past Director Roettner’s shoulder, her gaze landed on Woo-jin, who was by the window, casually looking through the materials. She took a deep breath, mentally calming herself.

*Just act normal, Miley. Act normal.*

She moved to her designated seat across from Woo-jin. As soon as she sat down, Woo-jin looked up, their eyes meeting. Woo-jin greeted her first.

“Hello, Miley.”

She responded politely.

“Hello.”

But, for some reason, as they held each other’s gaze, Miley abruptly looked away. Huh? That was strange. Woo-jin’s expression remained neutral, but internally, he was puzzled.

*Why did she look away just now?*

Normally, Miley would greet him with a confident smile and engage him in conversation. Today, though, her behavior seemed off. Woo-jin had no idea what was going on. Of course, he

 wasn’t aware that ever since her conversation with Maria Armas, Miley had been grappling with a swirl of unexpected emotions.

*Just be yourself around him. Act natural. This is just a phase.*

Meanwhile, Director Roettner continued the presentation, and the group’s focus shifted to the projected designs of the Beast, his castle, and the supporting characters. Seeing the finalized designs for the Beast, Woo-jin’s interest piqued.

*Whoa, this is intense. I figured as much, but this is going to be elaborate. Won’t that makeup alone take hours?*

He visualized himself as the Beast, his body covered in brown fur, with pointed claws and sharp teeth, feeling both excitement and a bit of apprehension. The reality of his upcoming role sank in. After thirty minutes of discussing the Beast’s design, the presentation shifted to Belle.

Upon seeing the design, Woo-jin felt a surge of nostalgia.

*Wow—this is beautiful. It looks just like the animated version.*

His anticipation grew, seeing how closely Miley Cara’s look would align with Belle’s character. Watching his reaction, Director Roettner asked Woo-jin a question.

“So, as the Beast, what do you think of Belle’s appearance?”

Maintaining his stoic tone, Woo-jin glanced at Miley and responded.

“I think it suits Miley very well.”

For a moment, Miley held his gaze before quickly averting her eyes once more. What was going on? Woo-jin’s curiosity only deepened.

Unaware of his confusion, Director Roettner turned to Miley.

“Hmm, I like this reaction from you, Miley. It’s like the disdain Belle feels toward the Beast in the beginning. Do you like the Belle design?”

“Yes, very much,” she answered, her tone calm.

“Glad to hear it.”

Director Roettner continued his briefing on Belle, and the meeting wrapped up after an hour. Since it was lunchtime, the group decided to have a meal together. As they moved out of the conference room, Woo-jin and Miley found themselves walking side by side.

Suddenly—

As they walked among the exiting crowd, Woo-jin and Miley’s hands brushed lightly. While Woo-jin thought nothing of it, Miley visibly flinched.

“...!”

She stopped abruptly, awkwardly raising her hand. Noticing this, Woo-jin also halted. The production crew assumed the two had something to discuss and left them alone. Now, only Woo-jin and Miley stood near the conference room’s back door. Woo-jin placed a hand on his chest and spoke in a low, neutral voice.

“Is something the matter?”

Miley didn’t respond immediately. She simply stood there, feeling her heart pounding wildly in her chest. At that moment, a realization dawned on her. She murmured quietly, almost as if speaking to herself.

“It seems…I like you.”

But Woo-jin didn’t quite catch what she said.

“Hmm? Did you say something? Are you feeling unwell?”

Miley held onto the hand that had brushed against Woo-jin’s, her gaze slowly meeting his. She repeated her words, this time clearer, though her voice still soft.

“I think…I like you.”

“...”

Woo-jin stared blankly at Miley’s face, processing her words before finally replying.

“Huh?” 

It seemed he was momentarily out of commission.