Life is Easier If You're Handsome novel Chapter 183

"D-Do it again?"

Director Lee Seong-deok was visibly startled by Kim Donghu’s request.

But he wasn’t the only one.

Has Kim Donghu ever asked for a retake before?

Everyone except Donghu was caught off guard by his request.

"Was there something you weren’t satisfied with?"

Actors requesting retakes wasn’t uncommon.

But since Kim Donghu had never done so before, Director Lee couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

What part wasn’t good enough?

Had there been a flaw in what was supposed to be a perfect take?

Kim Donghu had always delivered flawless performances.

A request like this put the director on edge.

"No, it's not that. I just think the perspective should be a little different."

"Perspective?"

"Yes."

Donghu glanced toward the camera setup.

There were cameras positioned behind both him and Han Taegun.

However, there were significantly more behind Taegun.

Naturally, this was to capture Donghu from multiple angles,

ensuring he was the focal point of the scene.

But Donghu had a different idea.

"I think this scene should unfold from the Hero’s perspective, not Detective Choi Yongsoo’s."

"You mean the Hero’s viewpoint?"

"Yes."

The title of the movie was True Hero.

It was a critique of the inefficacy of the legal system and the police force.

Because of that, the focus shouldn't be on how the Hero carries himself.

It should be on how the police perceive the Hero.

"The Hero’s enemy isn’t just criminals. The police hunting him down are included too."

A criminal who punishes other criminals.

A vigilante who, despite acting outside the law, is revered as a judge.

How do the so-called protectors of the people view such a figure?

That, Donghu believed, should be the film’s final message.

"And... I think it should be more desperate. The rain, the setup—it’s all great,

but the Hero should be screaming, crying out for justice."

Recalling his past—where he had never been protected.

At that moment, the Hero wouldn't just see the police as enforcers of the law.

He would resent them for never standing on his side.

Running away calmly until the very end?

That made no sense.

Because in the end, he was still just another criminal.

Even if victims worshiped him as a hero,

he was still just a man.

"If we do it this way, do you think the film will be better?"

This time, it wasn’t Director Lee who responded.

Han Taegun, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke.

"If we go with your idea, will it truly make the film better?"

It wasn’t a challenge—

it was pure curiosity.

The proposed change would fundamentally alter the film’s framework.

And no one knew what kind of impact that would have.

So, Taegun was asking the person he trusted the most.

"Yes."

Donghu’s response carried unwavering conviction.

"Then I want to reshoot it too."

If that was the case, there was only one choice left for Director Lee.

"...Shall we start immediately?"

He had no choice but to say yes.

However—

"Give me a week. No, three days. I need time to... to sharpen myself."

Han Taegun needed time.

Time to push himself to the limit so he wouldn’t disrupt Donghu’s vision.

And those three days passed in the blink of an eye,

as he stripped away everything, honing both his body and mind for the role.

Then—

"...Alright, let’s roll!"

The True Hero reshoot, born from Kim Donghu’s request, had begun.

***

The reason I asked for a reshoot—

It was because the world I had envisioned from the script hadn’t fully come to life.

This isn’t it.

The Hero’s world was far more brutal, violent, and desperate.

From the moment he killed that thug as a child and ran,

to when he returned to his neighborhood—

only to hear of his mother’s death, abandoned and unprotected.

When he saw the smug face of the factory manager who had worked her to death,

he realized then just how ugly and wretched the world truly was.

And then, when he killed those corrupt bastards,

when he saw victims breaking down in tears of relief at their deaths—

the Hero understood that this was the path he was meant to take.

And beyond that—

"Thank you... Thank you so much."

"Because of you, I can finally sleep in peace. My son’s injustice has finally..."

"I saw my daughter smiling in my dreams. I... I truly..."

The Hero was not alone.

The world stood behind him.

The victims’ resentment and suffering,

the tears born from their agony,

guided his footsteps.

And so—

"Action!"

As the lens focused on me—

"You—You’re here to arrest me?! Me?! Right now?! Instead of the people still suffering this very second?! Instead of saving them—you’re wasting your time chasing me?!"

I let the rage I had been holding in explode.

A deep night.

A narrow tunnel.

Rain pouring so heavily that even the police sirens were drowned out.

And the sheer absurdity of public resources being wasted on me.

"How the hell does that make sense? When I begged for help, you told me you were too busy, that there were procedures to follow!"

But now, suddenly, they could move without a damn procedure?

Why?

Then why—

Why couldn’t they save my mother?

When they inspected that factory’s safety conditions,

they could have easily seen how horrifying the work environment was.

But they just laughed and chatted with the manager,

and now—now, they call for backup just to take me down?

"It’s because I made the news, isn’t it?"

The Hero’s eyes locked onto the police.

Choi Yongsoo.

That bastard who had been relentlessly chasing me.

Who had obsessively sworn to take me down.

Despite all the more pressing matters at hand.

Despite the victims who were still crying for justice.

"And that’s why you’ll never change."

Not even worth getting angry over anymore.

The torrential rain roared into the tunnel.

As I slowly felt my body becoming drenched,

I turned and stepped toward the emergency exit.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three warning shots.

A clear message—

The next one will be real.

I scoffed.

"You really think your bullets should be aimed at me?"

Was this really the best use of their time?

Do they have any idea how many monsters I’ve killed—

and how many more still need to die?

Finally, one of them spoke.

"You’re just a serial killer who thinks he’s delivering justice."

"I know! I know that! I know!"

The words were laughable.