Chapter 108
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: The Navel Trick
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“What are you doing, sir? Come on, take out your belly button.”
I dove straight into the act, urging Hyun-woo along.
Hyun-woo hesitated, looking a bit wary.
I flashed him a big grin, and he quickly pulled a round object from his pocket.
That must be the ‘belly button substitute’ from the fairy tale.
How badly did he want to do this that he carried a fake belly button around in his pocket?
Hyun-woo clutched the belly button-shaped hair tie, shaped like tripe, in his fist.
He thought about it for a long moment, then scurried over to me and handed it over.
“Here, here you go.”
Hyun-woo stood on his tiptoes to place the hair tie in my hand.
He was so cute handing it over with his tiny hand that I smiled brightly.
“Thank you. Then please come this way.”
Hyun-woo followed my guidance into the party area.
I acted alongside Hyun-woo, enjoying the party through mime.
Even the wary Hyun-woo soon giggled and followed me perfectly.
Playing with him was more fun than I expected, and I got so immersed I forgot it was just acting.
It felt like a rare break with no worries on my mind.
‘What’s so funny?’
Song Ha-na, who’d been playing dolls with a kid, turned at the constant laughter.
There, Do-hyun and Hyun-woo were playing make-believe in the corner.
Song Ha-na stared at them silently for a long time.
She was so focused that her grip tightened on the child she was holding.
Song Ha-na’s eyes sparkled like a child’s, making her look innocent like the other kids.
“Ow.”
She’d squeezed too hard, and the kid yelped in pain.
That snapped Song Ha-na out of it.
“Oh, sorry. You okay?”
The kid nodded.
“Sister’s sorry. As compensation, you can style my hair however you want one more time.”
As Song Ha-na soothed the child, Do-hyun’s voice caught her ear again.
“You can do it. If it’s hard, I’ll help you.”
She turned to see Do-hyun speaking kindly to Hyun-woo.
Watching that, Song Ha-na felt oddly unsettled and whipped her head away.
***
The volunteer work ended.
Thanks to losing track of time playing wildly with Hyun-woo, it had flown by.
“Let’s play again next time!”
“Poop bro! Bye-bye!”
After saying goodbye to the kids, the club members headed to the bus.
Moon Woo-hyuk unusually kept looking back, reluctant to part with the children.
Watching him from behind, with the utility pole seeming to spin along, nearly made me burst out laughing again.
Then Song Ha-na tapped my shoulder.
“Thought about any references?”
It was about the master class video assignment.
I’d been planning to talk about it during the volunteer trip anyway—perfect timing.
“I was just about to bring it up.”
“Yeah? Then how about a meeting today?”
“Sure. Once we’re back at the dorm, change clothes and head to the practice… room…”
As we chatted, I checked the reservation app, but no practice rooms were left.
Must be because it’s second semester—weekends were tough now too.
Probably the second-years’ practical exams were ramping up.
“Guess we’ll do it at a cafe.”
Song Ha-na nodded.
Then Moon Woo-hyuk popped up, like he’d overheard.
“Where you two off to?”
Ugh, he heard that.
I hid my annoyed expression and replied as casually as possible.
“For a meeting.”
“But a cafe? Just. The. Two. Of. You?”
“We’re doing the assignment together—why would we go as three?”
Song Ha-na snapped at the clingy Moon Woo-hyuk.
Unable to retort, he just glared at me silently.
I subtly avoided his gaze.
Not because I’m scared of poop or anything.
***
I changed clothes at the dorm and came out.
My usual tracksuit.
With time to spare before meeting up, I strolled toward the main gate, where Song Ha-na was already waiting.
Always so punctual.
“Hey.”
Song Ha-na scowled at my greeting.
Oops, too much like an old guy again.
I stood before her with the most nonchalant face I could muster.
“What? Like some thirty-something uncle.”
Her words stung.
I might look like this, but I’m seventeen reborn—sensitive about age, you know?
I try so hard to look like a student.
“Song Ha-na.”
I called her seriously.
She looked a bit flustered at my sudden sternness.
“W-Why?”
“Thirty isn’t ‘uncle’ age. They say life starts at thirty.”
“That’s just something old people made up to justify getting older.”
Her matter-of-fact reply hit home.
Ouch, right in the vitals.
“Thirty is straight-up uncle age. Uncle.”
Song Ha-na didn’t stop, hammering me with more barbs.
Her relentless uncle attacks left me in tatters.
I absolutely refused to admit it, but I had to change the subject before more damage.
“Anyway… shall we head to the shopping district?”
It was about a ten-minute walk from here.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t gone out much since regressing.
Except that time Ji-woong bought me a burger.
“Where’s that?”
Even after a semester, Song Ha-na didn’t know the area well.
Makes sense—she probably never walked outside school.
“If you don’t know, just follow me.”
Without more words, I led her out of school.
On the way to the shopping district, Song Ha-na looked around curiously, trailing behind me.
We arrived and entered Byeolda Cafe.
“You do drink chain coffee, right?”
Song Ha-na gave me a look like I was ridiculous.
“What, you think I grew up in the mountains?”
No, not mountains—a palace.
“There’s one near my house too. Byeolda.”
Oh, right.
If it’s near her house, she’d probably drive.
We stepped up to order.
I carefully eyed the smoothie menu.
“Iced Americano.”
Song Ha-na ordered without hesitation.
After serious deliberation, I said with resolve.
“Mango. Banana. Blended.”
Before regressing, cold drinks hurt my teeth.
But now with this body, I’d enjoy iced.
“Iced.”
The barista smiled kindly.
“Blendeds come iced by default, sir.”
Song Ha-na snorted beside me.
Damn. Tried to act cool ordering iced, ended up embarrassed.
‘Uncle, huh. Over thirty’s uncle age.’
Her earlier words echoed—nah, imagination.
The barista, unfazed like it happened all the time, stayed professional.
“Mango banana blended and iced Americano, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Yes…”
We paid separately, got our drinks, and sat.
I immediately sipped the bright yellow mango banana blended.
“Whoa—”
This is it.
Sweet, smooth, cool.
No tooth pain—pure bliss.
Song Ha-na eyed my enraptured face.
“You surprisingly like stuff like this.”
“Surprisingly?”
“With your weird old-man speech.”
“…”
Ouch.
Thought that was over.
It hit so deep my whole body ached.
“Figured you’d go for red bean. Mung bean. That vibe.”
“Nah, I love this. Mango-banana. Strawberry-banana.”
“You abbreviating means you’re trying way too hard with slang. Cut it out.”
Song Ha-na said that casually while opening her laptop.
That hurt.
I made a slight pout but schooled my face to neutrality.
I’m an adult. I get it, move on.
Self-soothing, I peered at the laptop with her.
Her reference was a number from Bluevine animation ‘Raimi.’
Princess Raimi, confined in a huge castle under her father’s oppression due to her status, spots lanterns far away, yearns for the outside world, and sings a duet with male lead Henry.
It matched perfectly with the cover I’d brought.
“What do you think?”
We were close, sharing the monitor.
Song Ha-na looked up at me closely.
I naturally looked down and grinned wide.
“Perfect. Exactly what I had in mind.”
Song Ha-na felt her heart pound fiercely and swallowed.
Face flushing, she quickly bowed her head and asked back.
“W-What reference did you bring?”
“My turn.”
Excited, I whipped out my phone memo.
Showed her the screen.
As she eyed it expectantly, I saw her frown slightly.
“Kongjwi and Patjwi?”
Her face screamed, what does this have to do with Bluevine?
“Don’t make that face—hear me out.”
She nodded but crossed her arms.
Like, let’s see you dare top Bluevine.
“YouTube’s all about grabbing attention first. Thumbnails hook eyes for clicks—that’s goal one. How do we get people clicking ours?”
Song Ha-na answered without a second thought.
“My face on it? Instant click.”
“…”
Her sincerity left me speechless.
Couldn’t argue either.
Yeah, probably.
But that wasn’t enough.
“I won’t deny it, but we need a content concept beyond your face. Don’t want to hear ‘my face is the content.’ Won’t deny that either.”
Song Ha-na nodded like, fine then.
“Kongjwi and Patjwi is Korea’s Cinderella. Plot’s near identical. Like I said before, adapting Bluevine means differentiating.”
Makes sense—with YouTube not huge yet, Bluevine covers are everywhere.
Non-native Koreans topping views need strategy.
Song Ha-na listened intently, drawn in.
“So, overlay Korean folktale story on Bluevine for the cover. Traditional outfits too.”
“Bluevine in hanbok?”
“Yeah. Picture: Bluevine, huh? Weird clothes? What’s this? Click. Title: Korean Cinderella. Hooks curiosity, right?”
She pondered.
“Not bad. With my face? Even better.”
“…Yeah. Sure.”
I explained my detailed concept further.
Sipping mango banana blended in between.
Man, this is good.
Gotta have it daily.
Get used to ordering.
After hearing it all, Song Ha-na looked quite positive.
“So, swap singing Raimi and Henry with Kongjwi and the prince?”
“Exactly. And sky lanterns exist here too—use that scene for their meeting.”
We sketched scenes busily, continuing the meeting.
She liked the ideas, jumping in with opinions.
Perfectionist as ever—top teammate.
Her knightly nature means no free rides, but once aboard, highway speeds guaranteed.