Chapter 64
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: After the Curtain Falls
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After Han Hyo-jin's declaration to enjoy themselves to their heart's content, the kids let out a huge cheer.
The kids tried to bolt out of the mid-sized theater right away, but that wasn't happening.
There was a reason they couldn't just head out and have fun immediately.
They were all actors on the stage they'd put together themselves today.
The show might be over, but the actors still had work to do.
Wipe off the makeup, change out of costumes, pack up props.
They had to do it alongside the other staff, but there was still plenty to handle.
On top of that, they needed to clean up the backstage, which had turned into total chaos during the performance.
Of course, top-tier actors wouldn't handle this themselves.
That's what dedicated staff were for.
From my own experience, acting was a more delicate profession than it seemed.
If you got distracted by miscellaneous tasks and broke your immersion in the character, the whole production team would pay the price.
That's why actors were better off focusing solely on performing and ignoring everything else.
It was actually for the good of the entire troupe.
But for most actors who weren't at that level, they had to handle the cleanup themselves.
Cheongyeom Arts High was an elite school with hefty tuition—why were the students stuck doing this grunt work?
With the Cheongyeom Foundation's resources, hiring people for cleanup would be a piece of cake.
But they made the kids do it anyway.
Because these experiences would carve out a precious place in their memories.
A performance wasn't just for the actors on stage.
It was a collaborative effort with the staff who'd sweated and toiled together.
Sure, it was just a taste, but it was a great opportunity to learn how a show starts and ends.
"All done! Nothing left behind?"
I'd finished cleanup with Song Ha-na, Moon Woo-hyuk, Kyung-in, and Ji-young, who'd all shared the stage with me today.
Song Ha-na, who usually hated anything dirty, pitched in without a word, even as dust flew everywhere in the backstage.
Of course, her brow was furrowed the whole time.
"All set now. Let's head out."
With cleanup wrapped up, we left the theater with lighter hearts.
Waiting out front of the mid-sized theater were Yoon Jong-hoon and the other directing and staff students from our comprehensive evaluation team.
The team was back together again.
"Great job, everyone. Thanks so much for working with me on this. It was an honor."
Once we were all gathered, Yoon Jong-hoon, our head director, looked around at the team and spoke first.
Kid's got some maturity.
"I learned a lot too. Thanks for letting me act in such a great show."
I followed up with my own words.
That's how it goes—director and lead exchange a few words, it wraps things up nicely and looks good.
"What is this vibe? You messing around?"
Moon Woo-hyuk, apparently not on the same wavelength, immediately scowled.
Guy can't handle a warm moment to save his life.
"Let's go! My treat today—order whatever."
But hey, he could squirm all he wanted; it didn't matter.
Seeing him spit out such cheerful words with his usual rough face and tone was enough.
Come to think of it, Moon Woo-hyuk seemed a little different somehow.
"Why should you pay? I'll cover it!"
Song Ha-na shot back from the side, all fired up.
Had she changed, or was she the same as ever? Hard to say.
Consistent in her own way, at least.
Anyway, having two chaebol kids on the team had its perks.
"By the way."
Since we're splurging anyway.
"Is Han-woo okay too?"
***
The comprehensive evaluation was over, but I decided to spend the weekend at school.
Reason being the final exams starting Monday.
Even before my regression, my written exam scores weren't bad.
Compared to practicals, I was actually better at academics.
My midterms a couple months back weren't half bad either.
High school studies felt a bit unfamiliar after so long, but they turned out more manageable than expected. Surprised me.
Maybe because memorizing entire scripts while hopping between part-time gigs as an adult felt harder.
Plus, I had a natural knack for memorization helping out.
Honestly, after regressing into a high schooler, I worried about studying.
Parents might think it weird if my grades suddenly tanked.
High schooler or not, I figured I should at least pretend to study before exams, so I called home.
Barely calmed down Mom when she asked if she should pack some nourishing food.
Then I got ready to study.
Saturday morning, I hunkered down in the library like a cram session.
Typical arts high—even with exams on Monday, the place was dead quiet.
Criminal how empty such a top-notch facility was.
Spacious study rooms, an audiovisual room loaded with video lectures and mock exam footage—insanely well-equipped.
Air purifiers humming, perfect temperature control.
An ideal study haven.
And only a few heads bobbing around? What a waste.
Ate lunch alone, then drowsiness hit. I lifted my head from the books.
Took a break from studying to wander the library.
How long since I'd seen actual books?
Strolling between shelves, I stopped at the recent bestsellers section.
Ah, right—these were the hot ones back then.
Old memories surfaced seeing those titles I'd forgotten, bringing a smile.
Picked one up.
How to Get Used to Gazes, it was called.
Even 16 years later, it still came up now and then.
I recalled it blowing up around 2015.
Plopped into a single-bed-style reading sofa nearby and opened it.
Barely read a few lines when post-lunch sleepiness washed over me.
Eyes getting heavy...
"Do-hyun-ah."
A whisper jolted me awake with a start.
When did I fall asleep?
"Haha."
It was Lee Cheong-ha.
She burst out laughing at my startled reaction.
I scratched my head, embarrassed, and greeted her.
"Lee Cheong-ha... hey."
Tried to play it cool like nothing happened, but...
Wonder if my forced nonchalance was too obvious.
But I'd committed, so I went all in.
Pulled off a straight face like nothing was up.
"Why're you here? Didn't head home?"
Even Woo-sik, who'd been glued to me daily, went home.
Figured everyone scattered after the evaluation, but here was Lee Cheong-ha still at school.
"Exams, duh. Gotta study."
She held up her textbook.
A math one, no less.
Man, she really didn't need to bother.
Quadratic formulas wouldn't help much sweeping Broadway later.
Maybe tell her to practice conversational English instead.
"Promised Mom I'd keep up with studies after transferring to arts high."
Everyone's got their stories.
"I see."
"And you? Why're you sleeping here?"
"Studying too."
I nodded toward the seat I'd been at.
She followed my gaze.
My spot was piled with textbooks and workbooks.
"Wow... you study hard too?"
She headed straight to my seat.
I got up from the sofa and followed.
"Eek?"
She yelped seeing my workbook.
"You... you're actually good at this?"
She pointed to the workbook—all problems marked with perfect circles.
Her shocked face made me sheepish.
Why stare like that?
...Do I look dumb or something?
"Eh... just putting in the effort."
Embarrassed, I closed the workbook.
High school math felt like middle school stuff now, easy peasy.
Even rusty as I was, compared to the bitter life I'd lived, it was a breeze.
These problems had set answers, with kind explanations everywhere.
After feeling how life doesn't work that way, maybe that's why—regressing hit different.
"Wanna hit the rooftop to wake up? Join me?"
Shook off the old-man thoughts with a deliberately cheery tone.
She beamed right back.
"Sure. Let's go."
***
"Weather's amaaazing."
I'd suggested the rooftop, but she seemed more excited.
She gripped the railing, eyes closed, breathing deep. I freaked.
"Hey, hey. Dangerous."
Maybe age catching up.
Everything seemed risky like that.
"You're the scaredy-cat, huh?"
She grinned over her shoulder.
But she stepped back from the railing anyway.
I stood beside her, gazing at the campus.
Quiet hung between us for a bit.
"The comprehensive eval? Blew my mind. Killer job."
She gave a thumbs-up, referencing my Damios.
"Haha. Yesterday's stage was kinda..."
Kinda what?
Searched for the right word.
"Kinda?"
"Kinda fun."
"Fun...?"
"Yeah. Preparing with all that bustle was... well, a first for me."
First since regressing—first ever, really.
"Right? Never dreamed I'd prep a stage like this last year."
She'd gone to regular high before transferring—makes sense.
Like me post-regression, she probably never imagined grabbing this chance.
That's why talking to her felt easy.
Must be subconscious common ground.
Even if regression's too wild to explain.
"You killed it too. Who'd guess stage fright?"
"Think so? All thanks to your bracelet."
She wiggled her wrist with the bracelet.
Looked a bit worn from all the fiddling.
Cheap street buy—whaddya gonna do.
"Thought I'd never sing in front of people again. Earlier this year, I was... ugh. I really manned up. All thanks to you, Do-hyun."
She'd bombed the pre-semester vocal test, couldn't even finish a line.
Huge progress since then.
I knew that wasn't her full potential, so I'd pushed without hesitation.
She didn't know it, but she had far to go to "man up."
Broadway queen in waiting.
"Pitch black times. How'd I survive first semester? What excuse to scrape by... but poof, it's over. Without you? Nightmare fuel."
She chuckled softly.
Snuck a peek at her bracelet.
First semester done—time to come clean.
Lying every time gnawed at me.
"Uh, about the bracelet."
"Bracelet? What's up?"
Eyes squeezed shut, I spilled the truth.
That her stage success wasn't the charm.
It was her hard work—packaged it nicely.
"What?!"
She froze, eyes wide in genuine shock.
"So it wasn't Grandma's bracelet?"
Guess the nice packaging fell on deaf ears.
Regretted opening my mouth—sweat beaded.
"Y-yeah."
Rolled my eyes, unsure how to explain, nodded.
She narrowed her eyes, glaring, then shrugged big.
"But you thought of me and bought it, right?"
"Of course."
That part was real.
Nodded emphatically.
"Good enough."
Her glare softened; she smiled like it was no big deal.
Phew, crisis averted.