Chapter 30

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The First Birthday Party
-----------------------------------------------------------------

030

‘She's watching me closely, just as planned.’

I flapped my arms and said.

“Sparkle, sparkle! Like a star!”

“Oh my!”

Jeong Riri lightly tapped my mother's arm and said.

“Is it because he's your child? He's quite amusing. Little one. Yes. I do have a certain sparkle.”

She looks really pleased.

Her makeup was thick, but her high cheekbones, raised in a smile, gave it away.

‘Alright, time for one more.’

I reached out my hand and said.

“Pretty!”

“Oh, my, my, my, my!”

Jeong Riri grinned from ear to ear.

“This little one has good taste.”

“Ahahaha. Gongja is a bit special.”

“Everything about this baby is lovely. A pretty face, pretty words. Dear, is the baby's name Gongja?”

“Yes. It's Gongja. He's my angel.”

“You know, I'm not one to remember just any name, but I think I'll remember Gongja. No. Wait a minute!”

Jeong Riri suddenly took a few steps back. Then she looked me up and down.

“Hmm… Is this why people design children's clothing?”

“Ms. Jeong?”

“Dear, I never had much interest in designing children's clothes. But now, looking at this baby, I think I get it. Ah, Secretary Lee! My tablet!”

The secretary who came to her side hurriedly handed her a tablet PC.

‘Wow, bringing a secretary to a first birthday party.’

I suddenly feel sorry for her.

I watched her sketch and swung my legs. Jeong Riri kept muttering something.

“I must not forget this cuteness. Ah, I think I've got it.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, dear. I'm going to sit down and work for a bit now.”

“Yes. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

My mother walked to another area, still holding me.

“That's strange. Ms. Jeong isn't someone who gets inspired easily.”

Ahahaha. Is that so.

‘Well, it feels a bit intense, but what's good is good, I suppose.’

This face is more than enough to spark some inspiration, after all.

My mother muttered as she carried me.

“But, Gongja. You…”

Me? What about me?

I smiled and tilted my head. My mother stared at me for a moment before patting my shoulder.

“Is it just my imagination? I have a feeling our Gongja is going to be very popular.”

Of course he will. With a face like this.

“If there were a social scene for babies, he'd take it by storm.”

Ah, is she saying I'm too outgoing?

‘I guess I have been laying on the charm a bit thick for the coins.’

Is being too much like that a bad thing?

‘What if Mom gets tired of me?’

I looked up worriedly, and my mother gently tapped my cheek.

“Well, what can you do? I guess our Gongja is just a little different!”

Wow. Mom.

‘You're just going to let it slide like that again?’

I was once again reminded of my mother's love. I smiled and confessed my true feelings.

“Mama! Wuv you!”

“Mama loves Gongja too. Oh, more guests have arrived. Let's go!”

“Okay!”

Where my mother carried me, there was a familiar face.

“Oh, Director Heo, you came?”

“I heard the food was good. I brought a few people with me, is that alright? I'll be sure to leave a hefty gift!”

My mother smiled and shook her head.

“You don't have to pay.”

“Wow. That's actress Ma Sujeong for you. Come on, say hello. This is Lee Jin-hwan.”

“Hello. I'm Ma Sujeong.”

“My name is Lee Jin-hwan. I've received an award for a short film and am preparing my first feature.”

My mother blinked.

“Ah, I know. You won the Best Director award at the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival, right?”

“Ah, you know of it. Yes. I've received a few others as well.”

“More than a few! You've won over ten awards, don't be so modest!”

Wow, Lee Jin-hwan!

‘To think this is *the* Lee Jin-hwan, before he even officially debuted!’

I kicked my legs in excitement.

‘Lee Jin-hwan becomes a huge director.’

His first film was a bit of a flop, honestly, but from his second one onward, he reached the pinnacle of commercial success.

‘I even worked with him once.’

As a supporting actor, of course.

“So you're working on your first feature now? What kind of film are you preparing?”

“I'm preparing a film about a child. Though I haven't found any investors yet.”

Oh, no.

For a moment, I even stopped moving.

‘That's right. The protagonist of Lee Jin-hwan's first film was a child.’

It was a film called ‘Boyhood’.

‘And it received reviews saying it was endlessly terrible.’

I'd heard at a drinking party that it was actually because of the investor's unreasonable demands for edits.

‘Well, the actor wasn't very good either.’

I heard the child actor's family invested in it, so I guess the actor was the problem in the end.

‘I saw it in theaters, too. He really wasn't very good.’

Lee Jin-hwan's eyes met mine. I smiled brightly and greeted him.

“Hewwo!”

“Oh! He can already talk?”

“Our Gongja is an early talker. Well, it's also because this isn't his actual first birthday.”

“Ah, I heard about that. So he's not actually one year old?”

“I don't know either. But I do think he's advanced for his speech.”

Lee Jin-hwan stroked his chin and observed me.

“He's big even for a two-year-old.”

“Is he?”

“And he speaks so well.”

Oh, dear.

‘I've got a feeling.’

Director Lee Jin-hwan, he's considering me, isn't he?

‘If that's the case, it's only right to give him a little show!’

Let's see. What were the lines from ‘Boyhood’?

I only remembered one.

I beamed and said.

“I wuv the wind!”

For a moment, Lee Jin-hwan's eyes trembled.

‘Hehe. That was a key line.’

The main character, a young boy, says this line as he grows. And in the final scene, he says it one last time before closing his eyes.

‘The movie was a coming-of-age story about a boy.’

Director Lee Jin-hwan covered his mouth. My mother asked.

“Director?”

“Ah, I'm sorry. It seems like a coincidence, but it feels a bit like fate. Does this even make sense?”

He's surprised.

‘I understand.’

So, what do you think of me? I'm confident I can play that role really well.

‘It might just be the early childhood part, but if I do it, I'll give you an amazing performance.’

I smiled and gave a wink. Director Lee Jin-hwan hastily fumbled around before finally speaking to Director Heo.

“Director, do you have a business card?”

“I do. Why?”

“Can I borrow one?”

Director Heo readily gave him a card. The young director hurriedly wrote his own number on it and gave it to my mother.

“Um, I will contact you later. I absolutely want to put this child in my movie.”

“Oh? But Gongja is still so young.”

“But I feel it has to be this child. Nothing is set in stone yet, so I can't say anything rash, but please, if I call from this number later, pick up.”

My mother, lost in thought, nodded her head.

“Okay.”

“I'm counting on you.”

The director was so excited his legs were trembling. My mother tilted her head, then walked past, still holding me.

‘Wow, secured a movie role.’

If all goes well, I'll be in it.

‘There will be limitations because of my age, but that doesn't matter.’

In Chungmuro, making a good first impression was extremely important.

My mother moved on to the next guest. I smiled and greeted them. The more I thought about it, this birthday party was yielding one harvest after another.

***

“Introducing Gongja, who is celebrating his first birthday today! Please welcome him with a round of applause!”

The host's emceeing was very typical. I beamed at the camera that was recording for the DVD.

‘Even though it's just a first birthday party.’

Still, maybe because there was a camera and an audience, I felt a little excited.

“Oh my. What a very cute baby. I don't think I've ever seen a baby this cute before.”

It's to be expected, but thank you for the compliment.

I stared at the host. The woman, who was skilled at running birthday parties, was wearing a cute mask.

‘Is that a cartoon character mask?’

It seemed designed to get the children's attention.

‘She must be having a hard time. It must be stuffy in there.’

I squealed with laughter and clapped my hands. The masked host smiled and said.

“The baby laughs so easily. Aigoo. So lovely.”

I could hear people laughing. This time, I looked at the audience and smiled brightly.

‘Thank you all for coming.’

May you leave a coin with every light step you take on your way out.

The host said.

“Now, it's time for the highlight of the party. The doljabi!”

The crowd applauded. Soon, a small tray was brought out. Placed on a luxurious cloth were the usual items.

‘Thread, a judge's gavel, a stethoscope, a pen…’

Seriously.

‘Shouldn't the doljabi items be updated a little?’

Why is there nothing for an actor?

My mother patted my shoulder and said.

“What will our Gongja pick?”

There's nothing for me to pick here, Mom.

‘But I have to pick something.’

I thought about which item was closest to being an actor. Just then, the host's mask caught my eye.

In that moment, a grin spread across my face.

‘Right. There's that method.’

First, I grabbed both sides of the cloth with my hands.

“Oh, oh my? Little one!”

The host tried to make me let go, but I shook my head and said.

“This, all!”

“Huh?”

Wiggling my hands, I moved the items to the center and tied up the cloth. Then I pulled the whole bundle toward me.

For a moment, silence fell. I smiled and said.

“All! All!”

The host was too flustered to speak. Just then, my mother burst out laughing.

“Ahahaha!”

“Uh, Ma'am?”

“Just give him the whole bundle. It seems Gongja wants to do everything.”

Laughter erupted here and there. I could feel people smiling as they looked at me. I waved at the camera.

My mother adjusted her hold on me and said.

“But Gongja, if you had to pick just one, what would it be?”

I've been waiting for that question.

I pointed at the host.

“That!”

The host asked back, bewildered.

“Huh? Me?”

“Gongja, you can't have the lady.”

No! Not the person!

I desperately pointed at the mask.

“That, that!”

Thankfully, my mother understood right away.

“The mask!”

“Yes! That!”

The host quickly took off the mask and placed it in my hand. I held it up to my eyes and said.

“I like this the best!”

“You do?”

The host smiled and continued with the event.

“It seems he likes this animation character.”

No.

I shook my head, putting the mask on and taking it off.

My mother muttered softly.

“Persona.”

I beamed.

‘That's my mom.’

She gets it right away.

‘It's a term that refers to an actor.’

It has various meanings if you get into the details, but its origin is in Greek masked theater.

‘This is my path.’

An actor.

‘I don't need thread or a stethoscope.’

Besides, isn't trying on a mask something everyone does at least once? This is it.

My mother stroked my cheek.

“Wow, our Gongja.”

I kissed my mother's hand.

“My, it seems I've brought home a truly incredible angel.”

It's nothing, Mom.

‘This is just the beginning.’

My mother muttered softly.

“My angel just blew away all my worries. So it really wasn't just a feeling, after all.”

What does she mean?

I glanced back to see my mother smiling. When I tilted my head, she gently stroked my cheek.

The host resumed the party. I kicked my legs once and focused on the event again. And so, my first birthday party continued.

***

“You should have come, Ansan-daek.”

“I prefer the day off. Thanks to you, I had a good rest. How was Gongja's party?”

“I'll show you the DVD when it's done. It was fun. More people came than I expected, too.”

Ma Sujeong stroked the sleeping Gongja's cheek. The soft texture brought a smile to her face.

Her angel had fallen asleep on the way home.

“By the way, what's that?”

Ansan-daek opened the case. Inside was a luxurious gold ring for a first birthday.

“Who gave it to you?”