Episode 43
CEO Seo nodded.
After Juhyeok left, the funeral home came into view. The doctors paid their respects with somber faces, and the protagonist made up his mind once again to do his utmost for every patient.
Then the final scene began.
As the screen brightened, a young intern walked through the emergency room, greeting people as he went.
"Hello. I'm Juhan."
Watching him, the protagonist, now with white hair, brought Emergency Room to an end.
"That scene was good. It overlapped nicely with the protagonist from episode one."
"The ending was nicely framed, too. Didn't the lead go around greeting people like that in episode one of Emergency Room?"
"Yeah. You can picture it right away. Juhyeok's little boy growing up and coming to the emergency room as a doctor."
Ma Sujeong nodded. Honestly, she could picture what came after that, too.
"The protagonist will become a good mentor to Juhyeok's son."
"Right. It's a faint, aching kind of ending."
CEO Seo tapped at his smartphone screen, then refreshed the saved page. A moment later, comments that had multiplied several times over in real time appeared.
CEO Seo chuckled as he held up the screen.
"Sujeong, because of Gongza, some guy says he wants to marry you."
"My, my."
"This post has a ton of comments. It'll probably get reposted all over the place."
"If the post gets famous, maybe it'll come up in interview questions. Should I prepare an answer?"
"What are you going to say?"
"I'll ask whether it still counts if I'm already divorced."
CEO Seo burst out laughing.
"Puhahaha. No, but what are we supposed to do about this? It keeps becoming a topic."
"I know. My angel is getting too famous."
"How are you going to manage it?"
Ma Sujeong smiled brightly. "Nothing's changed. It's the same as before. I won't do commercials unless I really have to. I'll be picky about sponsorships, too. And for projects, I want to check them myself. Please handle it that way."
"Sure. Well, it sounds a little rough around the edges, but you've got a strange kind of thoroughness."
"Well, first I still have to go visit Ansan-daek at the hospital. It's hard to make time, though. At least now that one drama is over, I can breathe a little."
"Sujeong, if Gongza were a normal adult actor, he'd be paddling like mad by now. Even as a child actor, you know how cutthroat that world is."
Ma Sujeong nodded.
"I know. I'm an actor who likes being on set. And it's not like this is the first or second time I've worked with child actors. That's why I want to go out like this even more."
There were surely children who had become child actors because their parents had pushed them into it.
If a kid wanted to act on their own, that would be one thing.
But whenever she saw children saying they were working to help pay the bills, all Ma Sujeong could do was sigh.
In a lot of cases, it's pretty close to exploitation.
Honestly, the environment for child actors had only improved relatively recently.
"All right. Then we'll proceed that way."
"Yes. Though it's a little funny. It's our Gongza's business, but you're the one stepping in, boss."
CEO Seo scratched his cheek and said, "I knew he was something the moment I saw him. I've got nothing else going on anyway. If he really wants to keep acting, we can always draw up a contract."
Ma Sujeong snorted softly.
Well, Top Line wasn't bad.
The boss always says he's got free time, but...
In truth, that was also because he had the eye to bring in talented people.
Setting aside the fact that his salary's even higher than the boss's, he just genuinely likes the work.
He enjoyed raising rookie actors immensely.
He'd be trustworthy enough to leave things to.
Ma Sujeong let out a quiet laugh.
"I think I can see who your daughter takes after now, Boss."
"Our lady always sighs and complains about that. Says I take after her too much."
Ma Sujeong let out a long breath. And right on cue, her smartphone rang.
"Here we go again."
"Exactly."
"Just put it on silent."
"It practically is silent. If it rings, that means it's someone important."
Ma Sujeong checked the screen. Sure enough, it was someone truly important.
"I should take it."
"Who is it?"
"Designer Jeong Riri."
"Then you should answer. Ah, I should get back to it too."
The two of them each picked up their phones. Ma Sujeong smiled faintly.
I never used to like this sort of thing...
And yet, for Gongza's sake, somehow it didn't feel hard at all.
* * *
"Gongza, you want to see Auntie, don't you?"
Auntie Ansan-daek? Of course I do.
"Yesss!"
"She missed you too, Gongza."
Mom laughed and straightened my clothes for me. I smiled, took a few steps, and then plopped down on my bottom again.
This is... faithful.
The coin's price was still ongoing.
If I honestly walk ten steps, my legs give out once.
The limit was one year. Luckily, I was a baby right now, so everyone just took it in stride, but if I were an adult, it would have been a lot harder to come up with excuses.
I need to be careful about the risks of using coins, too.
Otherwise, I'd be in real trouble.
Mom scooped me up and placed me in the stroller.
I blinked from inside it. Under the bright sunlight, Mom looked a little tired.
I reached out and said, "Mama!"
"Yes, Gongza?"
"Don't overdo it."
Was she still busy with work? Well, Mom was a top actress. Even with one drama finished, there would still be plenty of people calling her.
And she'd always been the kind of actress who never stopped working.
Mom stared at me for a moment, then broke into a smile.
"Gongza. Are you worried about Mom?"
"Yesss!"
"Oh my!"
Mom bent her knees and pressed her forehead gently to mine. I blinked at her eyelashes.
"How cute, our Gongza. Only I get to know this side of you, huh? I really love this."
Hey, Mom?
What exactly do you mean by that?
Mom stroked my cheek and smiled brightly.
"I was a little tired, but I'm recharged now. Gongza charging is the best!"
Had she been that exhausted lately?
I grabbed Mom's sleeve and asked, "Tired?"
Mom let out a long breath.
"Mm, saying no was hard. But I couldn't help it. Our Gongza only has one body."
Huh, Mother.
What exactly did you say no to?
Tell me a little. I'm curious.
Luckily, Mom answered even though I hadn't asked.
"There were too many places looking for Gongza."
Ah!
She means work!
No, Mother!
Why would you turn that down?
I'm right here wasting time with nothing to do!
When you're young, you should be working!
Well, I was a baby rather than young right now, but still!
"There was everything from random people to earnest pleas. I thought my throat was going to give out. Gongza, even with variety shows it was like that, but the day before yesterday was on another level."
It was that many?
For a moment, I clenched my fist.
What a waste.
That opportunity had slipped through my fingers, and it felt as if I'd rolled away only yesterday.
I looked up at Mom again. She had seemed tired because of her schedule, but that didn't seem to be the whole of it.
Well, she's choosing carefully because I'm precious.
That kind of filtering was work in itself, too.
At times like this, all I can do is...
I smiled brightly and said, "Gongza trusts Mom!"
So please choose my work well, Mother.
Mom blinked. Then, under the bright sunlight, she smiled with clear delight.
"Ah, seriously. What does our Gongza eat that makes him so happy to have me around?"
No, why are you so happy about something like this?
"People who want one Gongza per household probably don't know how lovable our Gongza is. Ah, I love this."
Mom gave my cheek a light kiss and started pushing the stroller again.
"Because I'm Gongza's mom!"
I blinked. I still couldn't tell why Mom was so happy.
Something must have happened.
And it was because of me.
"Mama! Cheer up!"
Fighting, Mother.
Mom looked at me and laughed again.
From inside the stroller, I looked around and asked, "Mama! Where are we?"
Honestly, I already knew.
We're inside a hospital.
It was a university hospital, too. Maybe that was why there were so many people despite it being a weekday afternoon.
Ah, so that's why Mom's wearing sunglasses.
Because if someone recognized her, it would be a problem.
Mom glanced around for a moment, then pulled the stroller canopy down.
"We're at the hospital, Gongza. It'll feel a little stuffy, but bear with it. There are a lot of people."
Mom was careful about it. Just then, I heard an unfamiliar voice.
"Excuse me, aren't you Ma Sujeong?"
Mom. You were late with the sunglasses.
Mom smiled and said, "Yes. Sorry, but I have somewhere to be, so I need to hurry."
But the passerby didn't back off.
"That's that kid, isn't it? Heaven's mom! Come here! It's the child Heaven's mom said she wanted to see yesterday! Over here!"
Oh, no.
I could feel Mom's embarrassment. In an instant, people gathered beyond the transparent canopy.
T-this...
Was this one of those situations?
The kind where a top star gets trapped in a crowded place?
The canopy was shoved aside without permission by people.
"Ah!"
Mom couldn't exactly push them away. In an instant, the hum of voices swelled.
"Oh my gosh! It really is!"
"It's Gongza!"
"He's really cute!"
The crowd got even louder.
I don't know what's going on, but I do know this.
This situation was bad if it kept going.
Mom was grinding her teeth.
Mom might resort to force.
If she hit a civilian, the article would be a work of art.
I need to stop Mom.
I let out a bright little laugh and looked at the people.
"He's laughing."
"So cute!"
They'd shoved the canopy aside without permission, but nobody had touched me directly yet. I raised my voice.
"We have to go!"
The people blinked.
"Gongza has to go quickly! Sorry!"
So please let us through.
"Please move out of the way!"
If you don't move, are you even human?
Had my earnest plea worked? One person said, "They look like they're in a hurry. Let's let them pass."
"Right. The baby might be here because he's sick."
"Let's move."
The crowd parted like the sea.
Thank goodness.
My persuasion worked.
Well, I was ready to use coins if I had to.
I was glad humanity still had some decency left.
Mom smiled awkwardly and said, "Thank you."
"It's nothing! Please hurry!"
Mom pushed my stroller and headed for the elevator. I bowed my head slightly to the gathered people and said, "Thank you!"
Then the people all waved at once.
"Bye, Gongza!"
"I liked Emergency Room!"
"Ohhh! He's so cute."
"What a polite kid."
Wow.
So it was because of Emergency Room.
I really had become famous.
But more importantly, was Mom all right?
I asked her softly, "Mama, are you okay?"
She looked pretty startled.
Inside the elevator, Mom took off her sunglasses.