Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Staff's Warm Welcome
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Startled, I quickly composed my expression and took Kang Su-ho's hand.
"Ah, hello. I'm sorry I couldn't properly greet you earlier. I'm Lee Jun-seo, the actor playing the minor role this time."
He nodded with a smile.
"No problem. But I have a question."
"Yes, go ahead."
"This is your first project, right? I caught a glimpse, and your acting was impressive. I have a lot to learn from you."
He had been active as a singer for nearly fifty years before switching to acting and ushering in a new peak in his career.
His youthful appearance, preserved like it was treated with preservatives.
The charisma of a seasoned middle-aged man radiating from him.
This wasn't a joke.
He looked young enough that hanging out with me as brothers wouldn't seem out of place at all.
"Ahaha... Thank you for the praise."
"Who did you learn acting from?"
"I practiced on my own."
Yoo Seol-hwa, who had approached unnoticed, chimed into our conversation.
"What? Not from your agency? No way."
"It could happen."
"You're saying you believe this guy's story, Su-ho sunbae-nim?"
It was natural for her to be skeptical.
A rookie handling ad-libs flawlessly without trembling on their first shoot.
How many newbie actors could stay steady in front of dozens of rolling cameras? Probably just me.
So she must have thought I was an actor trained by an agency.
Look at her now.
The question I anticipated slipped from her lips.
"So this junior has no agency at all right now?"
"Yes, that's right."
I shrugged and gave a small reply, and she gave me a strange look.
'Why the sudden attitude?'
Just then, a staff member's voice rang out.
"Shooting starts soon!"
Kang Su-ho hurriedly pulled out a hand mirror to check his outfit and cleared his throat with a cough.
"Ahem! See you later."
"I should get going too. Rest up, junior. Let's grab a late dinner after wrap."
"Yes, good luck with the shoot."
Only after they left did Yu-na let out the breath she'd been holding.
"Puha! They're intense..."
The reason Yu-na was acting like this.
It was because Kang Su-ho reeked of cigarette smoke.
"You did well not saying anything."
"Daddy, did Yu-na do good?"
"Yeah. Sometimes it's better not to be too honest. Is that a bit hard?"
Yu-na blinked her round eyes, not quite understanding.
"Time to go change clothes now."
"Hehehe. Okay!"
After wiping off my makeup and changing back into my original clothes, I wandered around the set area.
I'd gone and made plans to have a late lunch with Senior Yoo Seol-hwa.
I couldn't head home now.
"Yu-na, trucks can move suddenly, so stick close to Daddy."
"Can I hold your hand then?"
"Didn't I tell you last time you don't need to ask for that?"
"Hehehe."
The moment I tightly gripped Yu-na's small, delicate hand and passed by a truck.
In a corner, some staff members were huddled together chatting.
"Hahaha! Nice to have a slow day today."
"Yeah, exactly. Gonna wrap early and grab some beers."
"Oh, right! Did you see that actor? The one who came with the cute kid."
"I thought he was a model. He's an actor?"
"I saw him during the shoot, and man..."
Our eyes met just as the man whispered like it was a secret.
"Uh, uh?"
"...Hello?"
The atmosphere froze the instant I appeared.
"Go ahead and chat comfortably."
As I turned to leave, the staff jumped to their feet.
"W-Wait a sec."
"Got something to say?"
"If it's okay... could you give us an autograph?"
"Can we get photos too!"
I hadn't expected this reaction.
I blanked out for a moment but quickly recovered and smiled.
"Sure thing."
I took the paper and pen they offered, then hesitated. I had almost signed with my old life's signature out of habit.
'Whoops. Gotta watch those habits...'
I scribbled my name roughly and handed it back. Then I took photos with each of them.
"Ah! You're done shooting for today, right?"
"There's a toy from the props your daughter could play with. Mind if we lend it for a bit?"
"Woo! Yu-na wants it."
"Is that really okay? What if it breaks..."
"No worries at all. Don't stress. I'll take responsibility."
Without waiting for a reply, they ducked into the prop truck.
Then they wheeled out a bright red electric car. They clearly planned to lend it to Yu-na.
Sure enough.
They set the electric car in front of Yu-na and stepped back, gauging her reaction.
'Such kind people.'
I showed Yu-na how to operate it, then watched the busy staff from afar.
They were hauling stuff from another truck.
Should I go say thanks now?
"Wooaaah! This is fun!"
In the blink of an eye, Yu-na was steering with both hands free, pulling off some stunt.
No, what dangerous thing are you doing?
Startled, I rushed over and called out to her.
"That's dangerous. You have to hold the steering wheel."
"Hehehe. It's fine."
Yu-na dodged scattered shooting gear on the ground while speeding up.
Fortunately, it wasn't too fast. An adult could easily keep pace walking slowly.
How much time passed?
Playing with Yu-na, the sky had turned red before I knew it.
"Yu-na, Daddy's gonna rest a bit, so don't go far. Got it?"
"Okay!"
As I sat on the ground to catch my breath, a shadow fell over me.
I turned my head and saw the staff who'd lent the electric car.
"Um, just in case, we made a slide too. Wonder if your daughter will like it."
"She definitely will."
"Yeah, feel free to use it."
They pointed, and sure enough, a slide had been set up.
'When did they prepare that?'
Was that what they were carrying earlier?
Vrooom!
From afar, Yu-na came zooming back in the electric car, majestic as could be.
Seeing her beaming smile lifted my spirits too.
"Daddy! This is so much fun!"
"Really fun, huh?"
"Yeah!"
"Then how about playing on the slide next? The uncles here made it just for Yu-na."
"Wowa! A slide!"
Yu-na hopped off the toy car and dashed to the slide.
"Ahaha... Thank you so much."
I never imagined they'd go this far for Yu-na's sake.
The gathered staff watched her play with warm smiles.
Snapping photos with their phones, even.
'Is my daughter that cute?'
I slowly lowered my unknowingly puffed-up shoulders, slipped my hand into my pocket, and pulled out my old flip phone.
'...Should I take one too?'
Smile-! Click!
Startled by the shutter sound, I hid the phone.
Using a relic like this was embarrassing enough.
'No one saw, right?'
Luckily, everyone was too enchanted by Yu-na's cuteness to notice.
I pocketed the phone and just watched Yu-na with my eyes.
Someday, I'd post her photos on my account and show her off to the world.
I was in the middle of playing with Yu-na when staff started pouring out of the bright blue tent.
Shooting must have wrapped.
"Yu-na, let's go say thanks to the director for all his hard work today."
"Okay!"
I caught Yu-na as she slid down and regretful sighs rose around us.
"Sigh, wanted to watch more..."
"Too bad. Time to say goodbye to Yu-na."
The staff here had already become Yu-na fans.
I chuckled softly.
"Yu-na, forget anything?"
"Huh? Nope?"
"Ahem! You should thank the staff brothers and sisters. They lent you the toys and this slide."
"Oh!"
Yu-na covered her mouth in surprise and approached the sad-looking staff.
Pat pat pat.
"Thank you."
With that short greeting, she scampered back to me and reached out her arms, signaling she wanted to be picked up.
'She likes being held by me?'
Unable to resist Yu-na's irresistible cuteness, I scooped her up tight.
"Thank you all today. Well then..."
I bowed to the surrounding staff and headed to the set.
Wandering the roughly tidied set, I spotted the director in a corner.
I hurried over, set Yu-na down, and raised my voice.
"Director, great work today."
"...You too, actor. Hard work."
As expected.
His curt response to my greeting made me smile.
If only he'd be a little more honest.
"Yes. Next time, it'd be great to work with you as a lead actor."
I meant it sincerely, but the director reacted unexpectedly.
He stared right at me.
"...Director?"
Tap. Tap.
I jumped at the feel of his hand calmly patting my shoulder.
He wasn't one to encourage like this due to his gruff nature.
For him to pat my shoulder meant he had high expectations for me.
Even after seeing just a short performance... even though it was just a minor role.
I froze in place, stiff as a board. His gaze sharpened. Like he was saying he'd said his piece, so scram.
"Ah, then take care."
I bowed politely to the director and quickly made myself scarce.
As I left the tent and caught my breath, Yu-na's voice came from behind.
"Daddyyy! Slow down..."
Yu-na was running up, panting. I startled and rushed back to her.
"Ah, sorry. Daddy walks too fast, huh?"
"Super fast."
As we paused to rest with weary Yu-na, a small shadow fell on the ground, and someone tapped my shoulder.
"What are you doing here? Took forever to find you."
It was Yoo Seol-hwa who called me.
Maybe because her outfit was different from when we first met, but the piercing fragrance from her was gone.
"I came to greet the director and was resting with Yu-na."
Yoo Seol-hwa's brows furrowed.
She crossed her arms like something irked her and held out her hand.
"Hey, give me your number first."
I couldn't fathom why she was demanding my phone so bluntly.
"My number? Why..."
"So it's easy to contact you."
"Ah. Then let me put it in your phone, sunbae-nim."
"Hmm, fine."
Pulling out my phone would be embarrassing.
No choice but to cheekily ask for hers.
Fortunately, she didn't call me out on it. I inwardly sighed in relief, took her phone, entered my number, and handed it back.
Why was a lead actress trying to get close to a minor role actor like me?
It didn't make sense.
"Hmm..."
"Any issues?"
Bzzz!
My pocket phone vibrated, and her lips curved up.
"I thought maybe you gave me someone else's number. But nope?"
"Ahaha... As if."
She shrugged with a playful smile full of mischief.
"If you need an agency, just say the word. I'll recommend you to the CEO."
I shook my head.
"I'll gratefully decline."
"Look at you, drawing lines when I'm offering help. Anyway, hit me up anytime you need. Got it?"
I nodded again, hoisted Yu-na up, and tossed a question at my senior.
"Where are we eating dinner? It's not just the two of us, right?"
Yoo Seol-hwa blinked, then burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
"Ahaha! Thought I was hitting on you? Even for a short role, we're in the same production. The cast is getting together to bond."
She continued.
"And you said you're twenty-five, junior? That's a twelve-year gap."
"Then we're zodiac buddies."
"Daddy. Daddyyy. What's a zod... zodiac buddy?"
Quiet Yu-na pinched her nose and spoke in a nasal voice.
She must have thought Yoo Seol-hwa still smelled strongly.
"What's that mean..."
Suddenly, Yoo Seol-hwa stepped up and shoved her face toward Yu-na.
"Zodiac buddies means..."
She stopped mid-sentence and took Yu-na's hand blocking her nose.
Then she pried away the hand Yu-na had been holding tight.
"Ah, it doesn't stink!"