Translator: Vine
Translated At: Nyx Scans
Chapter: 19
The staff members who had access to the dressing room were mostly seasoned professionals.
It was essentially a gathering of those known as the ‘pros’ of the industry, so there were more than enough people who had worked with Eun-seong for a long time.
They were the top experts in the country, always sought after whenever Eun-seong’s face appeared in commercials, magazines, movies, or dramas. Eun-seong was used to dressing and undressing in front of them, and they, by necessity, were used to touching him.
In that space, Eun-seong was like a work of art, completed by the hands of many. The dressing room staff fought a daily battle to create the finest masterpiece.
Only the creators and their creation existed; the dressing room was generally a quiet place.
“Actor Im Eun-seong! I’m a fan!”
“Thank you.”
“Actor-nim! I’ll be rooting for you today! I’m a fan, too!”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Yeon-joo, eating her meal between Eun-seong and Dong-hwan, looked around. The scene in front of the food truck, with makeshift tables scattered under a tent, was vastly different from usual.
Though they were on the same set, there were many extras and other staff members who were seeing Eun-seong for the first time. The majority were barely touching their food, their eyes fixed on him.
Many offered words of encouragement, and many more were already waiting for him to finish his meal so they could ask for a picture.
“Hyeongnim. Should I ask them to step back a bit? It must be uncomfortable to eat like this.”
“It’s fine, just eat your food.”
“Yes, Hyeongnim.”
The number of people grew, as if they were viewing a work of art exhibited in a gallery.
She wasn’t unaware that he was a famous actor, but this felt entirely different from anything before.
Right. This is the kind of person he is. No, this is what he has become.
This man, who was picking out only the chicken breast from his spicy chicken stew, was someone you were more used to seeing through a screen than sitting across from. That felt more real.
“Why are you picking at your food? Don’t even think about leaving anything behind. Eat up. This is all someone’s investment money.”
“I understand. I’ll finish every last bite.”
When Eun-seong commented that Yeon-joo was eating poorly, Dong-hwan shrugged his shoulders.
The three of them were eating together, but Dong-hwan was the one who did most of the talking, so he once again opened his mouth to liven up the atmosphere.
“Yeon-joo-ssi. You said you were a junior of our Hyeongnim from college, right?”
“Ah, yes.”
“What was our Hyeongnim like back in college? Was he popular then, too?”
“Cough. Cough, cough!”
Eun-seong, who had been chewing on the chicken breast like it was dried squid, let out a series of harsh coughs. Startled, Dong-hwan poured him a glass of water, while Yeon-joo’s eyes widened, her ears turning red.
She wished the question would just disappear, but once Eun-seong’s coughing subsided, Dong-hwan asked again.
…What kind of person was he?
“How was he? Our Eun-seong Hyeongnim must have been perfect even back then, right?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
He never once placed a glass of water for me carelessly.
“It seems you two weren’t that close.”
“Well… yes. That’s right.”
He never once ignored the sound of my cough.
That love, so immense and profound from the start, was something I couldn't fully grasp while receiving it. Only after letting it go, only after it was gone, did I realize what a remarkable love I had been given.
“Wow. I wonder how popular our Hyeongnim was in college. The phrase ‘a face that could take you to heaven’ must have been invented for him.”
“Yang Dong-hwan. I told you to just eat instead of chattering so much, why do you keep….”
“He was amazing. Back then, too.”
As Yeon-joo spoke softly, Eun-seong looked at her with a flustered expression. Her ears were still flushed red and her gaze was terribly unsteady, but her voice was calm.
It felt less like she was speaking words stuck in her throat and more like she was tracing back her memories.
“He was very popular, so whenever he was eating in the cafeteria, people would stare just like they are now.”
“Whoa, seriously? His presence was no joke.”
“Yes. He was someone with a strong presence.”
Hearing about my past self from her lips was not the least bit pleasant. It pierced my heart coldly that she was telling a generic story anyone could, leaving out the most important truth.
Right. You can’t say it, and I can’t say it either—
“Hyeongnim. I wish I could live like you, just for one day.”
We loved so passionately, not knowing it had an expiration date. From the moment I met you, I never once imagined a future without you.
“There’s nothing to be envious of. If you gain something, you also lose something.”
“Huh? Is there something you’ve lost, Hyeongnim? What is it?”
I thought it would be eternal. I thought a farewell was only possible when my breath ran out.
“There is something. Just eat your food, please.”
“Yes, Hyeongnim.”
Yes. It was like that. Until you left me.
After the three finished their meal, Eun-seong, for some reason, said he would even have coffee, so Dong-hwan went to get it.
Silence fell upon the two who were suddenly left alone, and Yeon-joo began to fidget with her fingers.
“I’ve been away from my post for too long, so I think I’ll get going first.”
“Sit. It’s still a while before makeup starts. Rest when you can.”
“Ah, yes.”
She felt deeply uncomfortable, conscious of the stares from onlookers. A lead actor sharing a table with the youngest member of the costume team—she wasn't even sure if this was something that could actually happen, so she just nodded her head.
Contrary to Yeon-joo's reaction, Eun-seong wore an unconcerned expression.
“When is your son coming?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked when your son is coming. Isn’t his first shoot soon?”
The phrase ‘your son’ sounded awkward no matter how many times she heard it.
“He’s actually scheduled to come today. Since there isn’t much time, they thought it would be better for him to get used to the atmosphere on set. I think he’s doing his script reading and rehearsal here.”
“As you know, the atmosphere on set isn’t great. There are no bright or cheerful scenes, so it’s not a good environment for a child.”
“Yes.”
Eun-seong looked down at his hands as he continued.
He knew it was unnecessary meddling, but as a senior in acting, there was much he wanted to tell her.
“There’s a psychologist on standby, so have him get regular counseling. And don’t just rely on Director Jin; you need to take good care of him. Nine out of ten child actors end up quitting. It’s hard enough for adults, so for a kid… well, it goes without saying.”
“Yes. I’ll be mindful of that. Thank you.”
“What does your husband say? Is he okay with it?”
Yeon-joo’s eyes widened on their own.
Eun-seong, who could tell a lot just by looking at her face, waved his hand. This, he thought, was truly being nosy.
“Never mind. Forget it. I asked something I shouldn't have.”
“Uh… yes. Well, he just, told me to take good care of him.”
“Right. I’m just asking, just in case, but he doesn’t know, right?”
As Eun-seong asked a question without context, Yeon-joo swallowed hard.
He was probably asking if her husband knew about their past. When Yeon-joo hesitated, Eun-seong spoke again.
“I know you probably wouldn’t have told him, given your personality, but don’t. It wouldn’t be pleasant for a husband to hear.”
“…”
“If you and I just keep our mouths shut, it’s like it never happened.”
“Yes. I understand. I have something to say to you, as well.”
When Yeon-joo said she had something to say, Eun-seong glanced at her.
Then and now, her saying she had something to say was terrifying.
“When you meet Han-byeol, I’d appreciate it if you could refrain from asking personal questions as much as possible….”
“Don’t worry. I had no intention of talking to the kid anyway. And even if I did, there’s nothing I want to ask.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
It felt like a warning not to ask about the child’s father or any other private family matters.
He managed to reply as nonchalantly as possible, but he felt a little disappointed that she was drawing such a firm line.
However, Eun-seong also had no intention of asking the child any questions. He was well aware that if word got back to Go Yeon-joo, he could be seen as a prying ex-boyfriend.
“Anyway, let’s cooperate well with each other so we can produce a good outco….”
“Eun-seong, did you eat?”
Just as Eun-seong seemed to be wrapping things up, the director's voice was heard again.
Eun-seong turned his head at the same time and looked at Director Park Hyung-wook, who had approached them. Yeon-joo, seeing Mr. Joo with him, shot up from her seat.
The memory that she still hadn’t instructed Mr. Joo to keep quiet about her marital status struck her like a nail, and instinct began to move faster than reason.
“Eun-seong. You haven’t met Mr. Joo yet, have you? Perfect timing.”
The director pulled Mr. Joo closer, and Yeon-joo’s mouth fell open. Mr. Joo, knowing nothing, bypassed Eun-seong and greeted her first.
“There you are. I was just wondering where you were.”
“What’s this? Mr. Joo, Go Yeon-joo-ssi, you two know each other?”
When the director asked Mr. Joo, his lips had just begun to part to answer. At that moment, Yeon-joo snatched Mr. Joo’s wrist.
“W-wait, I need to talk to you for a second!”
“Whoa, whoa!”
As Yeon-joo took off running, pulling his wrist, Mr. Joo was forced to run along. Eun-seong watched the two of them run, his eyes wide with bewilderment.
“What the hell is going on? Why did they just take off in the middle of a greeting? Eun-seong, do you know?”
“I don’t. How would I know?”
Go Yeon-joo, running as if her life depended on it, kept a tight grip on some man’s wrist until the very end.
That was all Eun-seong could see.
“I-I-I have a husband!”
The moment they met, she had grabbed his wrist and taken off running. Only after they reached a secluded corner where no one was around did Yeon-joo start spouting strange things.
Mr. Joo wore a bewildered expression.
“Pardon?”
“I have a husband. No, I mean, they think I have a husband. The people here.”
“Ah… I see….”
With no way of knowing what was going on, Mr. Joo slowly nodded. With a half-dazed look on her face, she belatedly tried to add an explanation.
“Well, it’s because of certain circumstances. The kind you can’t really talk about.”
“Right, right. I understand.”
“There’s someone who has to believe I have a husband, so I lied. So if, by any chance.”
“Yes. I understand completely. Go Yeon-joo-ssi has a husband, and Han-byeol-gun has a father.”
“Yes. That’s right.”
That’s it, Yeon-joo nodded emphatically.
It was a little hard to take at face value, but it seemed to be a desperate matter for her. He wondered if raising a child alone was really such a stigma in this day and age.
But as she said, everyone can have circumstances they can’t speak of.
“I understand. But honestly, it’s not like I would go around talking about your family situation.”
“Ah… I know that’s not what you meant, but, ah, it’s just.”
“I mean you don’t have to worry. I’m more tight-lipped than I look, and I’m also very good at keeping promises, so you can trust me. Try to trust me.”
Mr. Joo went as far as to give a voluntary self-introduction he would never normally make, trying his best to calm her down.
How strange. He was desperate to earn her trust somehow.
He wanted to be the one to lift even a single piece of the worry she was clutching so tightly.
Watching Mr. Joo smile gently while repeatedly telling her to trust him, Yeon-joo’s expression finally softened. She had been so tense that her lips were trembling.
I’m crazy. What on earth did I just do?
“I’m sorry, Seonsaengnim. I’m so sorry. I think I was out of my mind. To be so rude….”
“Yeon-joo-ssi, are you okay? You seem very anxious right now.”
This time, Mr. Joo firmly gripped the shoulders of the woman who was now lost in apology, and studied her face. Strong pressure could be good for psychological stability when a person felt anxious.
Holding her shoulders tightly, Mr. Joo gazed at Yeon-joo. Then, as if to give her a more certain reassurance than any words could, he nodded a couple of times.
“Everything is okay. It’s going to be okay. Take a deep breath. That’s right. Just like that.”
“I’m fine. I’m truly sorry for being so thoughtless. I’m so sorry, Seonsaengnim.”
“Not at all. In fact, I like it. It feels like you and I have a secret now. Please, rest easy.”
As he chanted that it was okay like a spell, Yeon-joo took a deep breath and managed to exhale properly. Watching Yeon-joo slowly regain her composure, Mr. Joo finally smiled.
The person who has to believe she has a husband. Who could it be?
A curiosity he would never normally feel began to sprout. It wasn't just curiosity; it was interest.
