Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Lingering Nightmares and the Photoshoot
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Early morning.
I stared blankly at the running water in front of the bathroom sink.
‘Yesterday’s events.’
They just wouldn’t leave my mind.
Could the nightmare I had at kindergarten be the same as the one Yu-na had yesterday?
Somehow, it felt that way.
Having that nightmare twice...
It wasn’t something ordinary, so right after waking up, I scoured the internet.
And I discovered something utterly shocking.
‘One type of trauma.’
Clench!
I balled my fist tight.
I wanted to smash it right into my reflection in the sink. At first, I’d liked it so much, but now it just made my anger boil over.
Anxiety symptoms?
How deeply festered must the wound be in little Yu-na’s heart...
I knew all too well that scars on the heart don’t fade easily.
Hadn’t I lived in pain from my past trauma? That’s why I didn’t want to leave any painful memories lingering for Yu-na.
The old Lee Jun-seo.
‘...Please show up in my dreams later.’
So I can beat you half to death.
With nowhere to vent my boiling rage, I finished washing my face with ice-cold water and took deep, steadying breaths.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
A feeble knock came from outside the bathroom, devoid of any real strength.
I draped the towel over my neck and stepped out to find Yu-na staring straight at me with eyes full of anxiety.
“…Daddy?”
“Yeah, my pretty girl. What’s up?”
I answered as gently as I could, and a bright smile instantly bloomed across her face.
“Hehehe. Where are you going?”
“Today’s the day we’re taking pictures at the studio with Ha-yul’s uncle, remember?”
“Oh! Right!”
Yu-na, back to her usual self, hurried into the bathroom in a fluster.
Her cute struggles to pull out the step stool from under the sink and climb up made me smile without thinking.
“Wash up slowly. I’ll get breakfast ready in the meantime.”
“Okay!”
The studio we arrived at with my manager.
It was covered wall-to-wall in pristine white fabric, equipped with various lights, and spotlessly clean from corner to corner.
“Doesn’t seem like anyone’s here. Is it okay to just wander around like this?”
“As long as you don’t touch anything, it should be fine. More importantly... they said they were inside. Where exactly?”
“Daddy, put me down. I wanna walk.”
“Oh, sure?”
I set Yu-na down gently.
Her eyes darted around until they lit up at the sight of some ball-shaped equipment.
Totter totter.
I called out to Yu-na as she toddled off quickly.
“Don’t touch anything.”
“Okay! Got it.”
To the left.
Then to the right.
Spinning around, taking it all in just with her eyes—it was unbearably cute.
“Jun-seo, sounds like they’re further in. I hear voices this way.”
“Yeah? Yu-na, let’s head inside.”
“Okay! Hold my hand.”
I took her hand as requested and followed In-cheol with purposeful strides deeper in.
Murmur murmur.
The voices grew clearer.
I halted and peeked through the noisy curtain.
Two young guys.
Both had outrageously distinctive hairstyles.
“So, this one’s an item that puts the focus on the waist...”
“Oh! Not bad?”
They were busy critiquing each other’s outfits and showing off their own when they spotted me and stopped talking.
“…Who’s that staring at us?”
“Hey! Don’t you know Actor Lee Jun-seo? He’s the one working with the teacher today.”
“Oh, shit...”
“Hey, apologize quick.”
The quirky-looking pair bowed their heads and scurried inside like they were fleeing.
Tap. Tap.
That’s when someone tapped my back.
I pulled my head back and looked to see Lee Jong-min waving.
“You’re here.”
“Oh, hi. Long time no see.”
“Uncle! Hi!”
Lee Jong-min gently patted the head of the bouncing Yu-na and gave a small nod to my manager in greeting.
Then he placed a hand on my shoulder.
“Want some tea while you wait? The assistants helping with outfit checks aren’t here yet.”
“I see. Sure.”
“Manager, come with me too.”
“Oh... Yes. Got it.”
We followed Lee Jong-min into a small reception room.
“Have a seat on the sofa first. I’ll get the drinks.”
“Uncle! Yu-na wants cookies too!”
He naturally brought over drinks and cookies before sitting on the sofa.
“Team Leader Kim Sang-ho isn’t in yet—he comes later. By any chance, did he make a mistake that day?”
“Wooow! Cookies!”
While Yu-na was distracted by the cookies, I waved it off and shook my head.
“Not at all. He really took a liking to Yu-na and was so kind—it was great.”
“I see. That’s a relief. But...”
Lee Jong-min trailed off, his eyes sharpening as he scanned me up and down.
“…Your physique looks even better than before. Have you been pushing yourself too hard?”
Ah, he’s suspicious.
Team Leader Kim had forbidden excessive workouts back then, hadn’t he? I’d kept my promise to him faithfully.
Just light exercise.
I shrugged.
“No way. I’ve just been taking casual walks in the park near the apartment.”
“I see.”
His sharp, narrowed eyes curved into crescents again as he spoke.
“That’s good to hear, then.”
Just as my conversation with Lee Jong-min was wrapping up, the two young guys burst into the reception room, laughing and chattering noisily.
Outrageously distinctive hairstyles.
And casual outfits.
It was the same pair I’d locked eyes with in the studio earlier. They spotted us and wiped the smiles right off their faces.
No... their faces went pale.
“…What? You guys just getting here now?”
They whipped around at Lee Jong-min’s icy tone.
He wore a stern expression we hadn’t seen before.
“T-Teacher?”
“What time did I tell you to be here by?”
“…Ten o’clock.”
“And what time is it now?”
Green and yellow.
The guy with the ultra-distinctive pineapple hairstyle was signaling me frantically.
Keep quiet about running into us earlier? Pretty quick on the uptake. I let out a small chuckle.
They looked about my age, but somehow felt oddly immature.
“Bet you snuck into the new Marbo arrivals before the models again... Be honest. Am I right?”
At his words, I sized up the two guys.
Looks like it.
Their vibes were off.
So the outfits they’d been wearing earlier were Marbo products?
Wearing them without permission...
I had zero intention of keeping it secret and flashed a grin.
“We met earlier, right? Your outfits are different now. You looked seriously stylish back then, if I do say so.”
Lee Jong-min’s eyebrow twitched at my words. A vein bulged on his forehead like it might burst any second.
“Um... Jun-seo, sorry, but mind stepping out for a bit?”
“Sure, take your time.”
Looking more pallid than ever, they trailed after Lee Jong-min out of the reception room.
“Hmm, the tea’s pretty good here.”
“Hehehe. Any more cookies?”
“…….”
In-cheol sighed deeply and shook his head as he watched me calmly sip my tea after dropping that bomb.
The two young guys, faces clouded over.
They meticulously adjusted the leather jacket I was wearing.
“…All done.”
“Just put on the bracelet and necklace now, and you’re good. Handle those yourself.”
“Huh? These weren’t part of it before...”
“…Wear them and ask the teacher. He’ll probably say it’s fine.”
I put on the simple silver necklace and bracelet, then checked myself out in the large mirror, turning side to side.
As expected.
My proportions were so perfect that the leather jacket looked downright luxurious.
And as the pineapple-haired guy said, adding the accessories really brought the whole vibe to life.
“Wowww! Daddy, you look so cool.”
Yu-na, with cookie crumbs plastered around her mouth, let out an exclamation.
When did she get here?
I’d specifically told In-cheol to keep an eye on her and not let her wander. Well... minding this little troublemaker alone must’ve been tough.
Even on the drama set, staff had lost track of her more than once.
In-cheol hurried over, scooped up Yu-na, and bowed his head.
Then turned his back.
Sigh, can’t be helped.
“All set?”
“Tch... Yeah, go ahead.”
“Good luck on your first shoot.”
Despite their sullen expressions, they offered me words of encouragement.
I should’ve been annoyed by their rudeness, but oddly, I felt none of that.
“Thanks for the help.”
They started organizing the clothes I’d taken off, looking a bit shy.
“Ahem! We’ve got the next outfits to prep, so hurry back.”
“That bracelet and necklace are mine—wear ’em and bring ’em right back. I scrimped and saved to buy them.”
They’d lent me their personal accessories to accent the outfit?
I curved my lips into a smirk at the dishonest pair and turned away.
“I’ll be right back.”
I left the changing room and entered the studio. Way over there, Lee Jong-min was clutching a catalog and scratching his head furiously.
Some kind of problem?
I approached cautiously, concern gnawing at me.
“Hey, Jong-min. Something wrong?”
“Nothing major. But... were there accessories like that?”
“The pineapple hair... er, that guy from earlier lent them to me for a bit.”
Lee Jong-min stared fixedly at the necklace around my neck and stroked his chin.
After a moment.
His expression brightened in an instant, and he nodded with a grin.
“Looks good. Let’s go with it. Time to shoot.”
“Should we?”
“Stand over there and just move however feels natural.”
I nodded and stood awkwardly in the area blanketed in white fabric.
Lights and reflectors.
Looking toward Lee Jong-min’s side made my eyes hurt, forcing me to squint.
“Sorry, could you lower the lights a bit? I can’t keep my eyes open naturally.”
“Hey! Dim the lights!”
The staff hurried over, adjusted the front lights, and the brightness dropped right away.
Finally, my eyes felt comfortable.
“Alright, shooting now.”
Click! Click!
The shutter sounds rang out.
I was slowly changing poses, tilting my head up and down repeatedly, when...
I burst out laughing without realizing it.
“Pfft! Haha!”
“Oh! Nice. Very natural.”
Far off, In-cheol was holding a squirming Yu-na, looking utterly flustered.
The sight of his sturdy, muscled frame struggling so pathetically was hilarious.
Even as I wiped away the tears from laughing, the shutter kept clicking.
Click! Click!
“Jun-seo, that’s perfect right now.”