Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Yu-na's Jealousy
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Ha-yul flashed a bright smile and waved at Yu-na.
"Hi!"
"..."
When she didn't respond to the greeting, an awkward silence fell. The two tiny kids stared at each other, locked in a silent battle of wills.
Or maybe it was just Yu-na doing the staring. She wasn't even picking up the handkerchief she'd dropped—she was too busy glaring at me.
'Did I do something wrong?'
No, that wasn't it.
Looking closer, her gaze wasn't on me. It was fixed on Ha-yul.
'Why is she glaring at Ha-yul?'
I'd thought they'd hit it off right away...
Seeing Yu-na act so contrary to my expectations worried me. It looked like we'd have to work on their chemistry later.
'If that acting she showed last time was real, she'll do fine in the actual shoot.'
I decided to trust Ha-yul.
"Ahem! Ha-yul."
"Yes? Dad. Why are you calling me?"
"Should we practice our lines later?"
"Yeah! Sure."
Her cheerful reply was satisfying.
Right. She's got great acting talent, so she's brimming with confidence. With that thought, I slowly set Ha-yul down on the ground.
Patter, patter!
Ha-yul dashed straight to Yu-na and reached out her hand.
"Hi, Yu-na. You said you wanted to play with me last time, right? Let's be friends."
"..."
It was strange. I'd been sure she'd like it, but Yu-na ignored the greeting and came running to me instead.
"Yu-na?"
"..."
She stared at the ground and grabbed the hem of my pants. I could feel a faint tremble in her tiny hand as her grip tightened.
She wasn't letting go.
"Yu-na, you wanted to play with Ha-yul, right? Are you just shy?"
She shook her head vigorously.
'What's going on with her...?'
It suddenly hit me: you can never quite figure out what kids are thinking.
I let out a quiet sigh and scooped Yu-na up into my arms. Then I turned to the middle-aged woman.
I still didn't know her name, so...
"Um, shall we head out now?"
"Y-yes. Ha-yul, want to hold Mommy's hand?"
"Yeah!"
"It's not far from here, so just follow me."
"Okay."
I took the lead toward the school dormitory. No one said a word until we arrived.
Yu-na just mumbled softly in a voice too quiet to make out.
A cramped house furnished with only the basics.
In front of me sat a rickety wooden folding table laden with various side dishes and rice.
The scene we were about to shoot was very straightforward.
All I had to do was show a glimpse of the kind of environment I lived in and hint at why I became a teacher who never discriminated against his students.
I ran through the scene in my head, murmuring the lines to myself.
"Alright, let's take it slow. We've got plenty of time today anyway. Is everything set? Need more time?"
Director Han Mun-jin's voice cut in suddenly.
I snapped to attention and looked around.
"The sound equipment's been acting up, but a quick fix should do it."
"Got it. Take it slow."
The staff bustled about.
It looked like we were about to start.
'Maybe we should wrap up practice here?'
If Ha-yul just stuck to what we'd rehearsed, this shoot would wrap quickly.
I glanced ahead.
Ha-yul was stiff with tension.
Getting nervous wouldn't help...
"Um, Ha-yul?"
She flinched at my call and answered hurriedly.
"Yes? Why are you calling me, mister?"
"Relax and just go with it. If you mess up, I'll cover for you."
"...Aren't you nervous, mister?"
"Hmm, I am."
No matter how many projects I'd done in my past life, it was natural to feel the jitters.
This was the image I'd show the public. Every shoot came with the pressure to deliver my absolute best.
'Maybe she's used to seeing me handle it so it looks easy?'
I shrugged and kept talking.
"This is my second project, so I'm getting the hang of it."
I tried smiling to ease her nerves, but it didn't work. Ha-yul hunched over and mumbled.
"Mom said you'd turn into the goblin director if I mess up..."
"Haha. You're just a kid, Ha-yul. You won't get in big trouble. And if you're tense, you won't be able to show what you practiced."
"Yeah..."
Unlike Yu-na, Ha-yul seemed nervous in front of the camera. She was the type who performed better in practice than on the actual shoot.
The complete opposite of Yu-na, whose presence shrank before the lens.
She'd definitely outshone Yu-na during rehearsal...
'Can she act properly like this? I'm already worried...'
I glanced at Yu-na, who was sitting primly next to Director Han Mun-jin.
Her small eyes blazed with fierce intensity.
'Yu-na's acting weird today...'
That's when it happened.
A staff member sweating over the sound gear threw both hands up triumphantly.
"Yesss! It's fixed. We're good to go, Director."
"Alright. Let's roll? Hey! Actor Jun-seo. Ready?"
"Yes, been ready for a while."
The director clapped, pleased with my energetic response.
"Good! Action!"
I leaned forward and whispered to Ha-yul.
"If you keep thinking about the camera, it'll make you tense and hard to act. Just focus on me."
"Yeah..."
The count came down.
I closed my eyes, took two slow, deep breaths, then opened them with a smile and picked up the spoon right in front of me.
"Come on, eat up. Min-ah. You haven't had dinner waiting for Dad, have you?"
Ha-yul's character in the drama was Ha Min-ah.
It wasn't a major role, so there weren't many detailed backstory elements.
Just an ordinary daughter.
That's all I needed to portray.
"Oh, Dad, you eat first."
"Cut! Let's take it from the top. Relax, Ha-yul. We've got time."
I stifled a chuckle at Director Han Mun-jin's oddly reassuring tone, meant to keep her from feeling guilty about the mistake.
"Pfft!"
"...Hey. What's so funny?"
I held back my laugh as the director switched from "Actor Jun-seo" to "hey."
"Is my voice that hilarious?"
"No, Director."
Then Ha-yul's shoulders started shaking.
She burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Looks like her tension finally broke. Relieved, the director sighed with a wry expression.
"Sigh. As long as Ha-yul's relaxed now. Let's go again right away."
"Yeah!"
"Yes, got it, Director."
"Jun-seo, stick around after. Got something important to talk about."
"...Yes."
The shoot restarted.
"Come on, eat up. Min-ah. You haven't had dinner waiting for Dad, have you?"
"Yeah. Dad, you eat first."
This time, she delivered without tension, even ad-libbing a bit.
'She's got real talent...'
As I scooped rice with my spoon, I re-centered my emotions.
I captured the feeling of a weary father hiding his exhaustion in front of his daughter and spoke.
"You eat too, my girl."
"Hehehe. Yeah, Dad! Dad! What'd you do at school today?"
"Hmm... Taught the big kids."
As I took a bite, Ha-yul pursed her lips like a duck.
"You say the same thing every day... So does that make you a cool teacher, Dad?"
"..."
I gave a bitter smile and didn't answer her question.
"...What do we say at dinner time?"
"Eat quietly!"
"Right. My girl's a genius."
After the praise, we bantered warmly until the director signaled.
"Good! Now medium shot. Jun-seo, ready?"
"Yes, we can go now."
"I'm good too!"
The shoot resumed immediately.
After a few flubs, we finally nailed the first scene with Ha-yul.
Next up was the teacher's most crucial scene.
Spreading out the bedding, tucking in his daughter, then silently gazing at a photo hidden deep in a drawer.
It needed to convey his desire to become like the teacher who guided him away from his delinquent youth.
That emotion had to show on his face.
"Daaad..."
"Yeah, Yu-na."
First, I needed to figure out what was up with Yu-na... But during the break, she clung to me like a burr and wouldn't let go.
I tried prying her off in frustration.
But her tiny hands gripped tight.
"Yu-na. Wanna play with me?"
"...Not today."
Yeah, something was off with her today.
'Could it be... jealousy?'
I thought it over.
If Yu-na was jealous about Ha-yul calling me "Dad," it all fit.
"Yu-na? Is it because Ha-yul called me Dad?"
Yu-na looked up, her face all puffed up.
"..."
"Was that really it?"
"...Yeah."
I held back a laugh.
If this was her showing cute jealousy...
I could indulge it over and over.
But given the situation, I needed to soothe her quickly.
I patted her back and spoke softly.
"That was acting, remember? I told you before, right? What happens on set is what?"
"A lie?"
"Right, a lie. You know you're Daddy's only daughter."
Yu-na's expression gradually softened.
Seizing the moment, I kept going.
"So don't push Ha-yul away—be friends. You wanted to play with a friend last time, right?"
"..."
Yu-na nodded, slid off my lap, and approached Ha-yul.
"Sorry... Ha-yul."
"We're friends, right? Let's play later."
I was a bit puzzled by her insistence on "friends," but I didn't want to sweat the small stuff right now.
'Having a friend is a good thing.'
Yu-na stared at Ha-yul, who was beaming and reaching out her hand, then finally moved.
'Great. Just shake hands and...'
That's when the director's voice shattered the mood.
"Break's over—let's roll! One light on! Blackout curtains for darkness! Moonlight effect outside!"
He'd said take it slow at first.
His words and actions didn't match.
Director Han Mun-jin's hands-on leadership was almost comical.
And yet...
The staff matched his energy, hustling with enthusiastic faces.
"Set's ready!"
"Outdoor lights installed."
"Good! Wrap this and pack up fast."
At the director's signal to start, Ha-yul—who'd almost made up with Yu-na—dashed back to me.
"Ha-yul, wanna play with Yu-na after we finish quick?"
"Really? Awesome!"
Hop! Hop!
All her precocious maturity vanished, leaving just an excited kid eager to play.
"Hey! Actors! Get ready!"
"Ah, yes! Got it!"
"Understood."
Patter. I laid Ha-yul on the bedding, pulled the blanket up to her neck.
Then I lay beside her and gently placed my hand on her stomach.
As I patted softly and smiled, Yu-na suddenly rushed in from the side and yelled.
"Daddy's spot next to him is mine!"
"Y-Yu-na?"
"It's my spot... my spot..."
Sniffling, Yu-na wedged herself between me and Ha-yul and lay down.
The staff and director burst into laughter at the sight.
The adorable saboteur turned the set into a sea of chuckles.
This was the second time.
No one showed even a hint of annoyance at the interrupter.
Maybe that's why I just smiled easily at Yu-na squeezing in.