The First Step Toward Stardom
Ma Soo-jung patted the sleeping Gongza. Her child, who had been shedding fat, tearful drops of crying all day, was now asleep like an angel.
Ansan-daek was putting Gongza’s clothes away in the wardrobe when she said, “It’s rare for Gongza to cry that hard.”
“You’d be startled too, Ansan-daek.”
“Yes. I was so worried I thought the young lady had been hurt.”
“Sorry. But our Gongza really does seem like such a gentle child.”
Ansan-daek agreed with that. Honestly, he didn’t cry often. He didn’t fuss at bedtime, either, and he never whined.
“He’s always smiling so brightly.”
“Yeah. My angel really does smile a lot.”
“For a child like that to cry... I was a little shocked then.”
Ma Soo-jung gently brushed Gongza’s hair back. The baby was asleep without a care in the world.
“Could it have hurt because he fell?”
“Who knows. But, Ansan-daek... do you think it’s because I’m his mother?”
Ma Soo-jung let out a little of what she had felt back then.
“I don’t think Gongza was the one who got hurt.”
“Really? Well, there weren’t any bruises on his body.”
“Yeah. We’ll stop by the hospital tomorrow, but for now, there’s nothing we can see.”
Ma Soo-jung remembered that moment. Sure enough, all she had been able to think about then was protecting Gongza.
My back hurt so much.
Once she’d confirmed that Gongza was all right, all that came out of her was a groan. She’d been hurting so badly she could barely breathe.
But then I suddenly felt fine?
She hadn’t even had time to wonder why her body had recovered. All she could think about was how badly Gongza must have been startled.
Then she got back on her feet, and the baby angel had gone to pieces, his face a mess as he worked his lips anxiously.
Honestly, I was shocked too.
The kid who hardly ever cried had burst into wrenching sobs.
The instant the baby cried out for “Mama,” Ma Soo-jung understood.
Our Gongza isn’t crying because he’s startled.
He was crying because he thought she was hurt, because he was worried about his mother.
Ma Soo-jung stroked Gongza’s cheek. His plump little face was softer than cream puffs.
“Our Gongza was scared I’d get hurt, huh?”
A long sigh slipped out of her. Watching the two of them, Ansan-daek said, “From what I can see, both the young lady and Gongza are fine.”
“I think so too. I know my own body best. I’m fine.”
Even so, there was something that still bothered her.
“Ansan-daek. Do you know something?”
“What is it?”
“I’ve lived however I wanted.”
That was something Ansan-daek knew better than anyone. She nodded.
“You really did live rather fiercely, young lady.”
“I’ve never been all that scared of getting hurt.”
She liked action roles.
She’d always had a light body, and she liked acting too. She hadn’t exactly gone without scrapes and bruises, but they healed quickly enough.
“But I think I need to rein it in a little now.”
It had shocked her too much, realizing that someone had been shaken when she got hurt.
“You, young lady?”
“I had no idea Gongza would scream like that because I got hurt.”
“That little thing’s worried about you.”
“Yeah. It’s the first time.”
Ma Soo-jung stroked her angel again.
“So I’m someone who makes him worry like that.”
“Young lady.”
“And with Gongza, it’s just me.”
It was painfully obvious, really. She was only now understanding it.
Ma Soo-jung let out a breath. Responsibility—she’d thought she understood it well enough, but the truth had only hit her now.
“You’ve finally grown up a little, young lady.”
Ma Soo-jung laughed softly.
“Yeah. Better late than never, right?”
“You really do act like it’s never too late.”
Ma Soo-jung lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
“If I’m going to grow up, maybe I should do a little more of it.”
“What? What do you mean by that, young lady?”
“It just occurred to me. There’s someone else I have to take responsibility for.”
Ansan-daek fell silent.
“Mari.”
Ma Soo-jung sighed.
“Well, what she said about hating me for the rest of her life still hurts, but...”
“Young lady.”
“No matter how much the kid doesn’t want to see me, I still have to see her, don’t I?”
Gongza slept on, breathing softly and evenly. Ma Soo-jung whispered, “Thinking about it now, I should’ve asked her why.”
“You didn’t ask?”
“I was too shocked, and the kid was screaming at the top of her lungs—I couldn’t do anything. Never mind me; she kept yelling so hard I thought she might get a fever. She actually did.”
“Miss Mari does have quite the temper.”
“Who knows who she takes after.”
Ansan-daek smiled a little. Ma Soo-jung probably knew the answer already—the source of Oh Mari’s temperament.
“What a long day this has been.”
Ma Soo-jung stroked Gongza’s cheek as she spoke.
“Our Gongza, have a good dream.”
Ansan-daek laid Gongza down in the safe crib. Ma Soo-jung got up from the bed and picked up her smartphone.
“Young lady?”
“I’m going to contact her. Mari.”
“Will that be all right?”
Ma Soo-jung smiled a little.
“If this were the old me, I’d have run away. But these past few days, I haven’t wanted to hold back. Isn’t that funny? I’ve been kind of brazen lately.”
Ansan-daek let out a quiet laugh. Honestly, she quite agreed.
She’s always been a little like that, but lately she’s been especially intense.
Ma Soo-jung stared at her phone, then let out a long breath. Ansan-daek came closer and took her hand.
“Mari has probably been waiting too.”
“You think so?”
“Of course she has. She’s your daughter.”
Ma Soo-jung looked back down at the screen. The ringtone seemed longer than usual today.
Before long, a small voice came through the phone.
Ansan-daek quietly stepped away and looked out the window.
For all the noise, it was a quiet night.
* * *
“Ah, I feel like I can live again.”
Grandma hurriedly pressed her nose to the top of my head, and then, like someone who had just emerged from a blocked cave, she greedily sucked in the air.
Huff. Huff.
Whoa.
This is starting to look like a real addiction...
Without meaning to, I glanced around. Unfortunately, there was no one around to see it.
Someone really ought to know Grandma does this.
Then my position in this house might change a little.
Grandma took in a deep breath of lemon grass scent and said, “Ah, my headache’s gone.”
Is that so? Please do use it often, then.
I grinned brightly. Grandma gave me a sidelong look.
“Don’t get cocky just because you know I like your smell.”
Ah, I’d been found out.
“No matter what you do, if you get in the way, I’ll clean you out.”
Grandma kept grumbling.
As expected.
This isn’t easy.
The small stuff worked, but I couldn’t win her over at all.
I’ve got a long road ahead of me.
It had been months since filming the movie. Mom had occasionally appeared and gone out, but that was all.
Ugh, no progress at all!
Is this how being a celebrity works? You just have to keep inching forward like this?
Can’t you just explode onto the scene once and let the whole world know me already?
No wonder my coins are crawling along too.
I whispered to myself, “Check coins!”
Total Coins: 26,323
They were still rising steadily.
It’s been months since filming.
They’d probably start releasing it soon. I stared at the subtitle window. It still hadn’t jumped upward in one big burst.
I heard breathing from above. Looking up, I found Grandma staring down at me.
“What are you looking at? Honestly, when is Soo-jung going to get rid of this one?”
Darn.
Grandma’s dragging her feet too.
Please, hurry up and fall for me.
I raised one hand. It was still tiny.
Eat, sleep, poop.
Was it really okay to live like this? I was just aging without doing anything!
Of course I had tried.
I’d exercised.
Not wanting to remain a baby forever, I’d worked hard to build up strength in my legs. As a result, I had managed my first steps in my life.
Of course, because of the price I’d paid from using coins before, I still fell once every ten steps.
Still, Ansan-daek’s reaction was hilarious.
While taking a photo, she’d said, “Gongza, let’s keep this a secret from the young lady. If she doesn’t get to see your first steps, she’ll be heartbroken.”
A very reasonable argument.
Mom really is busy.
I let out a sigh. On top of everything, Grandma kept cursing my future.
“You’re nothing but an obstacle in Soo-jung’s life. It’s a blessing she’s at least come to her senses and is taking care of Mari.”
Mari? Who was Mari again?
I didn’t even have time to wonder. Grandma kept breathing in the air as she said, “Ah, I hear the premiere’s in a few days. I wonder if this movie will do well. Why on earth did she make such a grotesque movie? Zombies, of all things. Talk about dragging down her class.”
Huh. Grandma?
A premiere? Already?
Mom had been sleeping and leaving again, so I hadn’t even realized City of the Dead was about to be released.
Wow.
I pressed both hands against my cheeks.
The time has come.
Look at my face, audience! Please!
Then Grandma muttered, “Why is he acting like that? Stop showing off. Even if you act cute, it won’t work!”
This time, it’s not that!
Grandma kept grumbling. I shook my head. The road ahead was still long. And then it happened. The door opened, and Ansan-daek hurried in.
“Madam, the young lady is on her way.”
“Oh? Really! Got it.”
She said it calmly, but her actions told a different story. Grandma hurriedly grabbed her cane and went out. I tilted my head.
No, wouldn’t it be nicer to watch it with her daughter?
Grandma hurried off and said, “Don’t tell her I came.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Wow.
So visiting me was supposed to be a secret.
And yet she was running away like that?
Ansan-daek patted my head and said, “If she stayed here, she’d be in trouble.”
Why?
“Madam never even sets foot in the annex, that’s why.”
But she comes here pretty often.
Ansan-daek smiled at me.
“It’s a miracle. She comes because you’re cute.”
Well, it’s because of the lemon grass smell, but let’s just leave it at that.
It takes time to build an addiction.
She’d come around someday. Even considering that, though, she was truly a difficult one.
Then I heard brisk footsteps. I grabbed the railing and stood up.
Mom burst through the door.
“Gongza!”
I broke into a huge grin. Mom scooped me up and spun around.
“Mama!”
“I missed you! My angel. Did you behave today?”
Mom stroked my cheek with a finger. When I deliberately took her hand and rubbed my cheek against it, her smile deepened even more.
“Ah, Gongza therapy! Gongza, Mom wanted to clear her schedule, but I couldn’t make it happen.”
Good for you.
You’re far better off rowing when the tide is in.
And wow, my mom must really be doing well.
“Ansan-daek, how was Gongza? Did he play well today too?”
“Yes. He ate well and played well again today. Gongza hasn’t had even a single minor illness.”
“Oh, good. I’m so glad he’s healthy.”
You’re happy about something so small, Mother.
Then Mom said, “So... would it be all right for him to come to my premiere tomorrow?”
Wow, Mother.
What a windfall!
A premiere! That meant people and cameras!
If things go well, he might even show up on an entertainment news program!
If this face appeared on TV, the path to celebrity status would be all but guaranteed.
But Ansan-daek frowned.
“Gongza’s still so young. Wouldn’t it be too noisy for him?”
“Right? He’s been fine so far, but the premiere staff suggested it. They said we could do an event with Gongza.”
Ansan-daek’s brow furrowed even more.
“No, what exactly are they planning to do with a child this young?”
“I was going to say no right away too, but it turns out that if Gongza just wears a pretty outfit to the premiere and carries a flower bouquet backpack, then I’d just hold him myself.”
Only then did Ansan-daek’s face smooth out.
“Ah, so that’s what they meant.”
“They were asking so earnestly. They said they planned it after seeing our Gongza’s magazine photos, so I suppose they’re just giving the papers something to write about.”
Mom patted my back.
“What do you think?”
“Gongza was in that movie too, so I guess that should be fine.”
“Yeah. I’d also like to get some congratulations for Gongza. But...”
Mom lowered her voice.
“I’m worried. Will he be okay?”
Of course I’ll be more than okay, Mother.