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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Compliment
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22.
“Go Yeon-joo's son? That child actor?”
“Yes, Daepyonim.”
Eun-seong's manager, Dong-hwan, was summoned by the agency's CEO, Tae-gon.
Entering the CEO's office, Dong-hwan gave a brief update on Eun-seong, adding Han-byeol's casting at the end.
Tae-gon's brow furrowed mercilessly. He had been away on a business trip to sort out Eun-seong's schedule, only to return and find this mess had unfolded without his knowledge.
“Those crazy bastards cast him without a single word to me?”
Dong-hwan swallowed nervously as he looked at the fiercely questioning Tae-gon.
Although Han-byeol was playing Eun-seong's son, his role wasn't large, and it wasn't the kind of child actor casting that typically required the CEO's involvement.
Finding it hard to understand Tae-gon's quick temper over such a matter, Dong-hwan continued with a sullen expression.
“Well, the director happened to spot the child and cast him right on the spot.”
“What a load of bullshit. This is all Director Jin Hae-yeong's doing, isn't it? Do you really think this happened by chance?”
Tae-gon didn't believe the unheard-of story of an on-the-spot casting.
It was common sense that you couldn't cast an actor that way for a film with tens of billions in investment. Hadn't the original child actor who broke his leg beaten odds of several hundred to one?
“So, the director saw a kid on the street and just cast him? Are you telling me to believe that?”
“Uh… that's the story, yes. There were quite a few witnesses.”
“It's obviously Director Jin's work. She must have planned this from the beginning when she brought Go Yeon-joo in.”
“What? But this only happened because the original child actor broke his leg. To say it was all planned seems a bit…”
Noticing Tae-gon's sharp glare, Dong-hwan trailed off.
Tae-gon was convinced that the fox-like Director Jin Hae-yeong had orchestrated it so Yeon-joo's son would "naturally" appear before the director to secure his debut.
No, maybe she'd even colluded with the director beforehand and put on a show just to create a plausible story.
That's what he would have done.
Now that Han-byeol was signed with Hae-yeong's agency, Changrok Entertainment, Tae-gon's suspicion turned to certainty.
The director must have been wined, dined, and bribed by Changrok, and Go Yeon-joo's son was getting a free ride to a flashy debut.
“I wonder how much Changrok paid under the table.”
“Huh?”
His conviction solidified, Tae-gon gritted his teeth. He was furious at the thought of being outmaneuvered by Director Jin Hae-yeong.
*That sly fox, Jin Hae-yeong. I'll crush you, I swear it.*
“Daepyonim. Is there… some kind of problem?”
“None of your business. What did Eun-seong say?”
“About what?”
“About Go Yeon-joo's son getting cast! What did Eun-seong say?!”
“He didn't say much. He didn't seem to think anything of it.”
*Ha*, Tae-gon rubbed the bridge of his nose. Jin Hae-yeong was one thing, but Go Yeon-joo's behavior, slowly worming her way into Eun-seong's circle, was also deeply unpleasant.
He had let his guard down for a moment when the married woman with a child said she'd start from the bottom, but he saw now that was a mistake.
“Are these people kidding me? The absolute nerve.”
Tae-gon's eyes narrowed as he stared at Dong-hwan.
He couldn't let Eun-seong get dragged into this game Jin Hae-yeong and Go Yeon-joo were playing. He wouldn't just stand by and let Go Yeon-joo, who was pretending otherwise while piggybacking on Eun-seong's fame for her son's successful debut, get away with it.
Tae-gon immediately called Lee Hyung-mi, a team leader at the agency. She was Eun-seong's dedicated stylist.
“Team Leader Lee, it's me. That junior staff member I mentioned before—get her ready. We're sending her to Jin Hae-yeong soon.”
He would absolutely not stand by and watch someone like Go Yeon-joo linger around Eun-seong.
Tae-gon decided he had to get Yeon-joo kicked off the film's wardrobe team. He decided to move forward again with the plan to send a junior staffer to Director Jin Hae-yeong, a plan that had been temporarily shelved.
After hanging up, Tae-gon looked at Dong-hwan. He stared intently at Dong-hwan, who still couldn't quite grasp what the problem was, and then muttered in a threatening tone.
“You go and keep a close watch on Eun-seong. Don't let your guard down. Got it?”
“Yes, Daepyonim.”
“I'm telling you to make sure no flies swarm around him. If your actor's image gets tarnished, you'll die by my hand that very day. Do you understand?”
“Understood, Daepyonim.”
Dong-hwan nodded, his face tense.
***
After watching Han-byeol and Eun-seong practice their scene, Yeon-joo returned to the waiting room, her expression dazed the entire time.
The image of him and Han-byeol together—a two-shot she could neither forget nor erase—lingered like an afterimage every time she opened and closed her eyes.
She still had work to finish. The clothes she'd collected needed to be sorted and put away, one by one.
But her body wouldn't move as she intended. As if weighed down by something, she couldn't budge, and she let time pass, sitting frozen on the sofa.
…How much time had passed?
The door opened, and Eun-seong stepped inside. Yeon-joo, who had been slowly blinking her eyes, turned around with a startled look.
“You. Don't make that face.”
“Huh? Me?”
Startled by his sudden entrance, Yeon-joo's eyes widened, and Eun-seong immediately found fault with it.
Yeon-joo, whose eyebrows had shot up, quickly relaxed her expression. She didn't know how to interpret Eun-seong's command to fix her expression the moment he walked in.
Eun-seong, looking stifled, undid a button or two on his shirt. As he flopped onto the sofa, Yeon-joo automatically stood up to give him space.
After just running a hand through her hair, Yeon-joo glanced at Eun-seong with a subtle sideways look.
*Ah, their eyes met.*
“Uh, is practice already over?”
The words tumbled out in her fluster.
At that, Eun-seong let out a short breath, *huu*, and opened his mouth.
“It's over. You can't keep a kid for too long. There's only so much you can drill into him at once.”
“Ah, right…”
Yeon-joo trailed off and fidgeted with her fingers.
Still not fully emerged from the dreamlike scene just moments ago, her face was frozen stiff with tension.
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“No. No, it's not that.”
As Yeon-joo shook her head in denial, Eun-seong stood up.
Staring quietly at her pale face, Eun-seong let out a weary groan and lowered his head.
A slight headache seemed to be coming on, and he pressed his temples.
“Looks like you're uncomfortable because an unwelcome guest suddenly appeared. Go on and rest.”
Thinking she felt uncomfortable being alone with him, Eun-seong tried to leave, but Yeon-joo took a step forward and blocked his path.
Eun-seong stopped short.
“This is your waiting room, Baeunim. If anyone should be resting, it's you.”
“I'm fine, so you sit down. You stood up because of me just now.”
“No, that's not it. I was about to get up anyway because I still have work to do.”
As Yeon-joo pointed to her remaining tasks and, for once, spoke quickly, Eun-seong's eyebrow twitched.
Her face was as white as a flour cake, yet she was telling him to sit down, insisting she was fine.
*I'm not fine. I'm the one who's not fine.*
“I was about to head out for something anyway. Whether you stay and work or rest, that's up to you.”
“Um, thank you.”
“…”
“For looking after my Han-byeol so well.”
The unexpected words of thanks made Eun-seong look somewhat surprised. Hesitating for a moment, Yeon-joo then bowed deeply, adding a formal gesture of gratitude.
“I heard on the way here that it's not common for you to personally help someone practice from the start, Baeunim. It must have been a great help to Han-byeol. Thank you.”
She raised her head to continue speaking, then bowed again.
At the sight, Eun-seong let out another groan. *So this was it. The stubborn and difficult Go Yeon-joo, who was only ever mean to him, could do anything when she wore the mask of a mother.*
“I wasn't looking for thanks. Anyway, the faster the kid gets used to it, the easier it is for me. I did it for my own sake. Don't worry about it.”
“Still. I've been wanting to thank you all this time. You've been so accommodating in many ways, and I feel both sorry and grateful.”
As Yeon-joo bowed once again, as if she intended to keep doing it, Eun-seong found himself instinctively bowing back awkwardly to receive her thanks.
After bowing as if in return, Eun-seong straightened up and waved his hand. When Yeon-joo tried to bow yet again, he quickly pushed her forehead with his hand, forcing her upright.
“Unless you're trying to make me so uncomfortable I can't breathe, you should probably stop bowing.”
“I don't have any other way to express my gratitude.”
“I got it. I've received more than enough thanks, so stop. You don't know when to quit.”
“I'm sorry.”
As Yeon-joo quickly acquiesced, lowering her gaze, Eun-seong studied her expression. Wondering why she was acting this way today, he watched her face quietly before letting out a dry sigh without realizing it.
He felt uncomfortable when she was indifferent, and just as uncomfortable when she was deferential like this.
“To be honest, I didn't have even a sliver of expectation, but the kid is a pretty good actor.”
“…”
“His comprehension is good, and he adapts well. It's like it's not his first time.”
“Ah…”
After Yeon-joo had returned to the waiting room, the set had soon erupted in a mix of astonishment and admiration. Only after seeing the director finally slap his knee and rise from his seat did Eun-seong come back to the waiting room.
Eun-seong continued to gaze at her, still pressing his temples.
Then, he took a step closer.
“There are still things to improve, but that seems like something your son's effort and time will solve. Fundamentally, his innate talent is quite good. I can't guarantee it, but if he's polished well, he could be a huge success.”
Yeon-joo looked at Eun-seong with a somewhat distant gaze. She watched him as he closed his mouth, seemingly finished with what he had to say, then lowered her eyelids as a sudden stinging sensation filled her eyes.
At that moment, the warmth that settled on her shoulder was none other than his.
As Eun-seong patted her shoulder a couple of times and then gave it a gentle squeeze, Yeon-joo bit her lip hard.
“I'm not saying this with empty words just to make you feel good. As you know, I'm not capable of that, and while I'm being cautious, especially when it comes to your son, the truth is the truth. I wanted to let you know.”
“Yes… thank you…”
“No. I’m the one who should be thankful.”
…Was it because of the strange and unusual things that had happened today?
His touch felt so incredibly warm.
As if it were tracing the hardships of a life endured alone, the scars of time. As if it were caressing them.
“I'm not sure how this will sound, but you raised your son well.”
Beneath the incandescent light, her world went dark.
*He said I did well. To think that he would acknowledge the strength it took to endure a world that was uniquely harsh and cruel only to me.*
“I know it couldn't have been easy. You worked hard raising him.”
Those words were enough to bring sorrowful tears to her eyes.
