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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Misunderstandings and Petty Acts
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“I was so embarrassed at the vet because of that little Han-byeol. From now on, if you need to take Yami to the animal hospital, you go. I’m too mortified to go back.”

Her mother’s voice sounded distant. Yeon-joo sat at the dining table, staring blankly at the set of gongjindan.

“Yeon-joo. Anyway, do they just hand out expensive things like this over there? Goodness, how much must all this cost? Who gave it to you, the director?”

“No. The lead actor.”

“Wow, he’s so generous. Must be making a ton of money. Giving such a nice gift to a rookie. How could I possibly eat something so precious?”

After putting the Hanwoo beef set in the kimchi refrigerator, Madam Na turned her attention to the gongjindan. She had only ever heard how good it was for one’s health, but seeing it for the first time, Madam Na wore a pleased expression, as if it were too precious to even touch.

Feeling her mother’s burning gaze, Yeon-joo pushed the box toward her.

“Don’t say that. Have one.”

“Oh, just looking at it makes me feel energized. Does it only work if you eat it? You have one instead. You said you’re going to be busy from now on.”

“I’m still young. You should take good care of yourself and eat it.”

Yeon-joo yielded the untouched box of gongjindan to her mother.

Her daughter, who had claimed to be going out just to earn a living, had come home with a magnificent present. It might as well have been a gift of filial piety, but for some reason, Yeon-joo didn’t feel happy about it.

“I should hide this somewhere safe. What if someone comes over, sees it, and asks for one? It would be such a waste.”

What would happen if she knew that the lead actor, the one who makes an obscene amount of money and gives such lavish gifts, was actually the biological father of the grandson she adores?

What kind of expression would she make if she knew this gift was from the man who could have been her son-in-law, had fate not been defied?

“Are you tired?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. A little.”

“Then go get some sleep. Don’t just sit there like someone’s forcing you to.”

“Okay. I’ll go check on Han-byeol and then head to bed.”

“Go on.”

Yeon-joo entered Han-byeol’s room. Her son, already deep in slumber, looked like a perfect angel.

She perched on the edge of the bed and watched him. Then, she carefully lay down beside him, placing a hand on his stomach.

As Han-byeol’s warmth touched her fingertips, a sigh she had held in all day escaped in a long breath. It was the end of a particularly long and arduous day.

The end of a weary time with nothing worth remembering.

“Han-byeol, you know, Mommy told a really big lie in front of people today.”

‘Are you married?’

‘Yes.’

Yeon-joo murmured in a tiny voice. She needlessly stroked her son’s hair and tucked him in, letting out one sigh after another.

The moment the team lead’s question was asked, the only thought in her mind was that she had to put Eun-seong at ease.

The truth didn’t matter at that moment. When it came to anything related to Han-byeol, she couldn’t leave even the smallest room for doubt.

I had a feeling Eun-seong wouldn’t take it well if I told him Han-byeol was ten and that he didn’t have a father. After all, time had marched on for both of us—

The truth was a clue.

“Mommy always tells Han-byeol that lying makes you a bad person. But Mommy told a lie.”

She drew a sharp line by creating a non-existent, imaginary husband.

It was better to become the woman who fell in love with another man right after their breakup than to create an ambiguous atmosphere that would trouble Eun-seong’s heart.

“Mommy should have just run away again this time. Right, Han-byeol?”

…I know that I don’t have to compound the lie, that this would all be resolved naturally if I just quit my job.

If she and her mother pooled their money, she could return the ten million won to Hae-yeong. It wasn’t entirely impossible. She also knew that if she returned the money and made up an excuse, Hae-yeong was the kind of person who would accommodate her.

But why? Why did I end up standing before him? Why am I pretending I can’t turn back, even lying without hesitation, trying to endure this suffocating situation?

“Why is Mommy trying to endure it, Han-byeol?”

At the end of her thoughts, Yeon-joo squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them.

It was all in the past, more than a decade ago. While Eun-seong was exceptionally special to her because of their connection through Han-byeol, to him, it was probably just another story, its memory faded.

Lingering by his side like this might only lead to deeper wounds. She might be the only one hurt by a pain he never inflicted, curling up alone in agony. The wisest thing would be to leave when she still could.

Before it’s too late. Before it’s much, much too late.

“Mommy… I don’t know my own heart either, Han-byeol…”

A groan escaped her lips at the thought that she couldn’t find an answer.

She wanted to leave, and she wanted to be tied down. She wanted to avoid him, and she wanted to be entangled. The former depended on her resolve, but perhaps the latter was more alluring because it was ultimately unattainable.

Another exceptionally difficult and heavy-hearted day passed. I was my own daily experiment in just how miserable a human being could be.

*

“Eun-seong, are you preparing well?”

They were given two days off after the first shoot.

For the lead actor, it wasn’t a time to truly rest but a preparation period to perfectly gear up for the next shoot.

Eun-seong’s brow furrowed as he looked at the script. Realizing he was deep in study, Tae-gon’s expression turned to one of regret as he took a small step back.

His manager, Dong-hwan, shook his head and gave Tae-gon a signal. It was a sign that Eun-seong was not in a good state.

An actor’s condition during filming often fluctuated unpredictably. It was a truly difficult task to completely deconstruct, interpret, and absorb a character’s personality into one’s own body.

It was best not to disturb an actor when they were focused, as they were prone to missing details if they didn’t maintain a sharp edge of sensitivity.

“Let’s talk later. Keep up the good work, Eun-seong.”

Tae-gon was about to quickly exit the office when Eun-seong closed his script and looked up.

“Go ahead. I was about to take a break anyway.”

“Ah, really?”

Rubbing his hands together, Tae-gon sat on the sofa.

Though Tae-gon feared little under the sun, Eun-seong still made him uneasy. Perhaps it was because they had started together from the very bottom.

The important fact was that Eun-seong would have succeeded even without Tae-gon, but Tae-gon’s success would have been impossible without Eun-seong.

Though Eun-seong had stayed loyal to the agency without moving, there was no telling when he might fly the coop. So, it was only natural for Tae-gon to walk on eggshells around him.

“It’s tough, isn’t it? The reaction to the first shoot was incredible. As expected.”

“Didn’t you have something to say?”

Eun-seong asked, dismissing the praise, and Tae-gon rubbed his chin.

“Go Yeon-joo showed up on set.”

“Who?”

“Go Yeon-joo. Your ex-girlfriend.”

Eun-seong, who had been fiddling with his script, lifted his gaze. When their eyes met, Tae-gon waved a hand, indicating this was not something to be taken lightly.

“I know this industry is small, but seeing your ex on set is a bit much, don’t you think? Isn’t it uncomfortable for you?”

“And if it is?”

“I’ll have her sent somewhere else. You’re already dealing with a difficult and sensitive shoot. The last thing you need is a distraction. Just say the word. I’ll get rid of her for you.”

*Get rid of her for you.*

For some reason, he felt thorns prickle his back.

Eun-seong slowly lowered and raised his eyelids. His head had been throbbing all day just thinking about Yeon-joo, and now Tae-gon had appeared as if to scratch that very itch for him.

But strangely, the spot Tae-gon offered to scratch for him didn’t feel relieved, but sore. As if he had prodded a wound.

“She’s part of Director Jin’s team. If you say you’re uncomfortable, it’s no trouble at all to switch her out. Swapping one rookie is nothing. All you have to do is say you’re uncomfortable.”

Tae-gon subtly pressed him, as if a solution was only possible if the word ‘uncomfortable’ came from Eun-seong’s own lips.

Eun-seong placed the script on the table and opened his mouth.

“Leave it. It doesn’t bother me.”

“Ah, uh, it doesn’t? You’re not bothered?”

“How many years ago was that? Do I look like I have the time to worry about every little personal relationship from my past?”

“That’s not it, but it’s not exactly a comfortable relationship, and you don’t know if Go Yeon-joo has some scheme to get close to you…”

Eun-seong looked up at Tae-gon, his eyes tilting upward. Tae-gon’s voice trailed off, and he cleared his throat, waving his hand dismissively.

After a brief flash of displeasure on his face, Eun-seong adopted a nonchalant expression and flicked a finger.

“She got married, had a kid, and is living her life. Now she’s just trying to get back to work. Is there really a need to crush her?”

“Go Yeon-joo got married? And had a kid? How did you know?”

“I overheard it by chance. I heard her talking with the head of the makeup team.”

“Ah, I see.”

Tae-gon took a step back with his response.

The fact that Yeon-joo was a married woman with a child did ease his wariness a little.

“But Eun-seong, you never know with people. A top star like you has to be so careful about who you associate with.”

“It’s not like I can only work with people I like. Just leave it. I don’t care.”

“…”

“I said don’t worry about it.”

As Eun-seong repeated himself for emphasis, Tae-gon rose from his seat. If Eun-seong put it that way, there was nothing more he could do.

“I suppose you’re right. If we get rid of her for no good reason, she could complain about us abusing our power on social media, and that would be a bigger problem. All right. Keep up the good work.”

Tae-gon left the office. He clapped the manager Dong-hwan on the shoulder as he saw him out, adding a word of caution.

“Stick close to Eun-seong. Report immediately if you see any suspicious relationships.”

“Yes, Daepyonim. Take care!”

Tae-gon tightened his tie and got on the elevator.

*

The Maddening Days Had Begun

The day of the shoot dawned.

“Actor Im Eun-seong has arrived!”

As if he were a Joseon-era guide announcing the arrival of a young master on horseback, Dong-hwan shouted loudly, and the staff in the makeup room rose to their feet.

Eun-seong, who was following behind the boisterous Dong-hwan, subtly wrinkled his brow. No matter how many times he told him to stop, Dong-hwan just wouldn’t quit.

“Can’t you just not do that? Is it that hard of a habit to break?”

“Sorry, Hyeongnim. The CEO told me to do it, I can’t help it.”

“Don’t you think the guy right in front of you is scarier than the CEO you can’t see?”

“Well, that’s true, but.”

Eun-seong entered while scolding Dong-hwan. One by one, the staff members began to greet him.

As he returned the greetings in turn, Eun-seong walked right past Yeon-joo when she, caught in the crowd, bowed her head to him.

“Shall we get you straight into makeup?”

A makeup artist approached and asked, and Eun-seong nodded.

When Eun-seong took off his jacket, Yeon-joo rushed over to take it. As their fingertips accidentally brushed, Eun-seong whipped his head around, his eyes flashing wide.

“Oh, sorry, I’m so sorry!”

When the flustered Yeon-joo apologized in a loud voice, Eun-seong swallowed dryly. *If you apologize like that in front of all these staff members, what does that do to my image?*

Eun-seong forced a calm smile. His eyebrow twitched uncomfortably, but it was more or less bearable.

“It’s fine. I should be the one apologizing. Thank you for taking my jacket.”

He responded in a gentle tone he had to summon from the depths of his being, and Yeon-joo fidgeted with her fingers. Then, Eun-seong witnessed her turn away and briskly wipe her hand on her pants, and his eyes shot wide open.

*Are you saying my hand is dirty? You can’t even stand the slightest touch?*

“We’ll start on your makeup now. This way, please, Eun-seong.”

“Yes. Let’s.”

Not to be outdone, Eun-seong followed suit and wiped his hand on his pants. His eyes met Yeon-joo’s for a moment, and he rubbed his hand even more pointedly.

At that, Yeon-joo’s shoulders slumped as she glanced around nervously. That expression, in turn, made Eun-seong startle, and he clenched his hand into a fist.

Regret washed over him instantly. The rookie’s job was hard and thankless enough; did she really need to endure the glares of a top actor? He wanted to show his magnanimity.

*I want to keep her here…*

“Excuse me, is there any hand sanitizer here?”

“What? Hand sanitizer? Oh, it’s over there, Yeon-joo.”

“Thank you.”

*No. I want her gone…*

Eun-seong let out a dry sigh and followed the staff into the makeup room. She was looking for hand sanitizer after a single touch of his fingertips. What would she do if he touched her bare chest?

Yeon-joo had sanitized her hands because she’d been handling a metal button with peeling paint for a while, but Eun-seong, who had no way of knowing this, added it to her list of offenses.

“So much for being the bigger person.”

“Sorry?”

“It’s nothing. Please begin.”

“Yes, Eun-seong.”

Eun-seong sat in the chair, his face completely hardened.

Every time he caught a glimpse of Yeon-joo’s reflection in the mirror, his uncomfortable mood grew more and more twisted.