Chapter 16
I’m translating the chapter now and preserving the HTML rules where the text turns into system output. I’m also keeping the dialogue and narration shaped like a finished English novel, not a literal gloss.CHAPTER_TITLE: Episode 16
Ma Sujeong was a famous actress, and the patches were always clinging to her.
'Our Sujeong really is provocative.'
The third daughter of the Sungjin Group’s founding family, a woman blessed with dazzling looks, and an actress who had already drawn ten million viewers twice this year. That was Ma Sujeong.
'Even so...'
CEO Seo muttered under his breath as he scrolled down.
“This is no joke.”
Even while posting photos without permission, the patches were always quick to hide behind the excuse of the public’s “right to know.” With his chin propped on one hand, the CEO stared at the monitor.
“Absolutely gorgeous! Our actress Ma.”
The Ma Sujeong on the screen looked even prettier than usual that day. Judging by the styling, she had clearly stopped by a salon, but even in low heels and jeans, she still stood out. That was the power of her natural aura.
In the photos taken at the supermarket, the actress was wearing something that looked both comfortable and carefully chosen.
That alone was enough to make the patches drool, but that wasn’t the important part.
'Is that baby... her adopted son?'
The CEO blinked. To be fair, he had seen the press materials too.
'I thought there might be a bit of Photoshop in there...'
The patch kids were cruelly honest about such things and never edited their photos. That was why so many stars had been embarrassed when their proportions were laid bare.
'No, seriously, what is this kid?'
The moment he saw him, the CEO blurted out, “A doll?”
A baby with slightly light-colored hair and black eyes.
'...Can someone really be this cute?'
His nose was perfectly upright, and his red lips made him think of cherries, or some other fresh little fruit.
“How can a kid be born looking like this?”
He was already cute enough to make your head spin, and in the photo he was smiling from ear to ear.
Honestly, there was nothing to say but admiration.
“Wow.”
If there was such a thing as a genius face, it had to be that baby.
“No. I should probably say he’s the actress Ma’s son.”
Maybe that was why this photo was everywhere on Korean community sites.
'Even the actress Ma's expression is completely different.'
He had known Sujeong for a long time. She was a woman who smiled easily, but even so, this kind of bright expression was rare.
'Well, even if she seems strong on the outside... who in this world has no troubles?'
Ma Sujeong was strong, yes, but she was also an actress who, whether people admitted it or not, drew public hostility. She had her share of suppurating wounds. And yet that Sujeong was smiling like that.
'A smile like she owns the whole world.'
The baby and Sujeong were smiling at each other, and honestly, it looked like a scene from a film.
'Even though the setting is just an ordinary supermarket?'
What on earth was this atmosphere?
And that wasn’t all. CEO Seo kept scrolling. The photos had been taken almost minute by minute.
“No, how are all of these worth looking at? Is this really paparazzi footage?”
It looked as though Sujeong and the child were simply wandering around the supermarket. But the prettiest scene was this one.
“This is it. The baby feeding her puffed rice snack.”
A tiny, adorable finger was holding a piece of puffed rice and feeding it to Ma Sujeong’s mouth.
Honestly, the first thing he felt was, “Oh, how cute.”
No, this baby’s face was already insane enough, and on top of that he seemed to have a gentle personality too.
'A baby that age shouldn't be able to do that...'
The CEO thought of his own rabbit-soft daughters at home. He would do anything for his princesses, girls so precious you could put them in your eyes without it hurting, but behind that was the unseen labor of real parenting. One or two words couldn’t possibly cover it.
The CEO scrolled downward. The comments beneath the photo echoed exactly how he felt.
CEO Seo let out a long breath. In the middle of the comments, there was the reaction he had wanted to see.
CEO Seo tapped the mouse.
'...Her image has turned around at once.'
The critical public opinion had shifted in an instant. Even when a malicious comment appeared here and there, a rebuttal followed immediately.
“Actress Ma.”
The CEO stared at the monitor and murmured.
“Ma actress.”
She had changed the mood in one stroke. This was a highly unusual occurrence even in Ma Sujeong’s acting career.
“Still, you know...”
The CEO kept looking at the child’s photos. The more he looked, the more astonishing they seemed.
Most of the comments matched the thoughts of CEO Seo, the man called one of the entertainment industry’s top lines. But as someone inside the company, there was one thing he found deeply frustrating.
“Please, at least talk it over with me!”
Ma Sujeong. Ma Sujeong-nim. Please, for the love of all things, talk before you go doing this.
'Though if I tried to stop her, she probably wouldn't listen.'
CEO Seo hung his head. No one would know.
“That I’m just a figurehead CEO!”
Well, for a figurehead CEO, he did get involved quite a bit. Still, the beloved actress who had seated him in this position hadn’t really taken part in management herself.
Even so.
“Ma Sujeong. If the reason you’re running wild like this is because you hold the most shares... I’m a little hurt, you know?”
But you could at least discuss it first. You fool. Had you forgotten the loyalty we built together since your rookie days?
“At least say something before you do it.”
What if you just go out on your own like that!
How am I supposed to hear about this from netizens before I hear it from you?
He complained, but there was no one to hear him. CEO Seo shook his head.
'Even if I said this in front of the actress, it wouldn't help.'
She’d probably just laugh it off. Then she’d tell him, with all the confidence in the world, to get back to work.
“Please, just tell me before you do it!”
CEO Seo muttered that to himself, then ran both hands over his face.
* * *
The subtitles stacked up in glittering layers.
'Well, this feels like a harvest.'
I watched them with satisfaction and muttered, “Ppua, ppupu, ppuuppu!”
Subtitle, hide for a moment!
The subtitles vanished at once.
'Good, very good.'
It seemed the patches had leaked the photos, because the subtitles had suddenly started rising.
'Everything's going smoothly.'
It felt like harvesting what had been sown.
I smiled and hugged the mirror tight. The feel of the plastic against me made me feel like I could cry.
'I never thought looking in a mirror once would be this hard.'
Mom bought me the mirror without even checking the price tag, but she hadn’t let me keep it by my side.
'Well, because it could break and be dangerous.'
Still, I hadn’t expected it would be this hard just to have a mirror placed in my crib.
'It takes sweat and tears!'
I clutched the mirror I had finally won with great effort. Right now, it was precious to me beyond measure.
'Every time they try to take it away because it's dangerous...'
I looked silently up at the ceiling. Somewhere, a breeze was blowing, and the mobile swayed gently. My heart swayed with it.
'...I cried.'
It was a strange feeling. I had once acted in countless emotional scenes as a supporting actor, but I had never acted out a baby’s crying before.
Something hot surged up inside my chest, but there was nothing to be done. That really had been the only way.
'To think I'd be crying at this age! I've only ever bawled like this a handful of times in my whole life!'
Every time they tried to take the mirror away, I thrashed and cried, so Mom and Ansan-daek must have been startled, because they went out and found a safe acrylic mirror instead.
I closed my eyes and looked at the mobile.
'It's not exactly humiliation, but... it's close. Sort of. Ha.'
Ugh. This was all because I couldn’t communicate properly. When would I be able to speak fluently?
'I could manage Mama without much trouble.'
I tried saying the words I could manage.
“Mama! Mamma! No!”
That was it.
'Damn it!'
I covered my face again. Of course, my hands were too small to hide it.
'Anything beyond that just comes out as ppuppu for now.'
So, so embarrassing...
For some reason, tears seemed close. I took a deep breath.
'I don't know the exact age, but isn't this pretty good for such a tiny baby?'
As time went on, would the number of words I could use naturally increase too?
Was development supposed to proceed according to a normal baby’s timeline?
But how was I supposed to know what a normal baby’s growth looked like? I’d never raised a child!
'No, more importantly, how old am I, exactly?'
I looked down at my hands. Baby hands were pale and plump. But you couldn’t tell from the hands alone how many months old I was.
'Come to think of it, they said they don't know my birthday.'
Should I just use the day Mom picked?
While I was thinking all this, I heard the door open.
'Ansan-daek?'
But the person who came in was a little unexpected.
'Huh.'
Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “Hitler baaawya!”
Grandma Hitler!
The old woman leaning on a cane furrowed her brow. Then she muttered softly, “Hitler?”
Oh. So she understood that?
With a wary look on her face, the old woman approached.