The Kid Who Doesn’t Cry
Actor Kim Eunju looked down at me and smiled brightly.
“Your older sister called me yesterday and asked me to look after Gongza.”
Ah. Mother.
I raised a hand and said, “P-please take good care of me!”
“Oh, how cute. I’m the one who should be asking you to take care of me, son.”
“Yesh!”
Kim Eunju patted my head.
She’s nice.
Well, she wasn’t exactly the sort of actress people tended to speak ill of.
Hmm. The one I’d usually be paired with is the actress playing my mom, Kim Eunju, and the actor playing my dad.
Come to think of it, who was playing my father?
If I remember right, it was Ki Cho-un...
That made me laugh. Right, it was him.
Hanjo hyung!
He’d been a close friend of mine.
We could’ve gotten even closer, but...
Unfortunately, that never happened.
It was a car accident.
There had been a major crash, and Ki Cho-un had died on the spot.
Ah, I never would’ve guessed.
So that meant the guy was alive right now!
He was a promising one.
Who could have known he’d wind up like that right as he was climbing into the ranks of the top stars?
Just then, a voice I’d missed reached my ears.
“Ah, this is Gongza?”
I slowly turned around. The living, breathing guy was striding toward me.
Wow.
Long time no see, huh.
Ki Cho-un looked me up and down. I greeted him brightly.
“Hello!”
“Oh. Yeah.”
He had always been a very easygoing guy.
Of course he’d be friendly, right?
Maybe this drama would be easy after all.
That was when I thought I heard something wrong.
“He’s kind of mediocre, isn’t he?”
What?
I blinked.
“I heard he was the cutest kid in the whole world, but he’s not that special.”
What was his problem?
He’s trashing a kid he’s meeting for the first time?
Kim Eunju, unable to stand it any longer, said, “He’s cute, Cho-un.”
“No, I mean, he is cute. Just not enough to make such a huge fuss over.”
Hey, you punk!
What part of this face looks mediocre?
Sure, even I thought “the cutest kid in the world” was a little much, but I was definitely cute!
“Has his acting been properly checked? He didn’t just get in through connections, did he?”
“You saw Emergency Room.”
“Yeah, I did. But what did he even do in that? Did he have any lines worth remembering? I trust the director, sure, but I don’t trust him at all. Isn’t this just some famous actress’s son getting by on a free ride?”
I narrowed my eyes.
This bastard...
Even if he really thought that, did he have to say it right in front of the kid?
Any normal child would cry!
Sure enough, Kim Eunju covered my ears and said, “Cho-un, you’re very brave.”
“What do you mean?”
“The famous actress in question is Director Soo-jung.”
“Ah...”
Ki Cho-un’s eye twitched.
“Right. It was Director Soo-jung.”
“Soo-jung really adores Gongza, you know.”
“Ah, that kick! Director Soo-jung’s body is basically a human weapon.”
“I don’t know about that. Imagine this adorable little Gongza calling his mom and saying, Mom, some guy says I’m just coasting! And then...”
Kim Eunju smiled sweetly and drew a finger across her throat.
“Ack!”
Kim Eunju took her hand away from my ear and said, “Just apologize to Gongza.”
But even while turning pale, Ki Cho-un shook his head.
“No. It would be insincere. He really is coasting.”
That part was true.
But still.
It’s not because of my acting, you idiot!
If you were going to run your mouth, at least wait until you’d actually worked with me.
Ki Cho-un glared at me.
“Hey, you said you’re Gongza, right? If you tell your mom on me, I’ll be the one who gets punished.”
I let out a long sigh.
“B-ooorh-der.”
“What?”
“Y-you’re childish.”
I spun around. Kim Eunju burst out laughing at the sight of me.
“AHAHAHAHA! You really are Director Soo-jung’s son!”
“Hey! How does that even make sense? Damn it, Eunju, stop laughing!”
“Come on, Gongza. Leave the childish hyung alone and play with noona instead. Aww, you’re adorable. Did that upset you? Your cheeks are all puffed up.”
Ah. It was written all over my face.
Ki Cho-un, that punk.
Just you wait!
As I huffed and puffed, Kim Eunju picked me up and carried me somewhere else. Once we were out of the way of everyone else, she patted my shoulder.
“Aw. Your face is red.”
“I’m mad!”
“Of course you are, Gongza. Let’s call your mom right away! She can handle everything for you. Just say that that hyung—no, that guy—treated Gongza badly.”
I shook my head.
“No, no!”
“Huh? Why not?”
“Mama would worry.”
What, was it really necessary to run to my mother over something like this?
She should be focusing on her acting. I don’t want to burden her with something this trivial.
And besides...
I can see why someone might think that way for now.
Before people recognized my acting, comments like that were only natural.
Besides, the film where I really acted was only released not long ago...
Honestly, I couldn’t say I’d given a performance in When the Wind Touches that was enough to make people sit up and take notice.
I need to act so well that the public can’t help but remember me. Then I’ll really be set.
Until then, people were bound to say things like that.
Kim Eunju covered her mouth and let out a little gasp.
“Oh?”
“So please, noona, keep it a secret too!”
“Uh...”
Kim Eunju blinked at me.
“Gongza will handle it himself!”
“Eh? Wha—?”
“I can do it!”
Besides, it was only a matter of time.
There’s no way I can’t act well.
I’m Lee Hanjo, the luxury supporting actor!
I gritted my teeth. Ki Cho-un, that bastard!
I’ll make you regret it.
I’m the kind of guy who follows through once I say I will.
Kim Eunju looked at me and muttered, “Wow, you really do look a lot like Director Soo-jung.”
Oh?
“This is fun. How can you be like this, Gongza?”
Kim Eunju hugged me.
“I’ll keep it secret! But if it looks like you’re having too hard of a time, I’m going to tell Director Soo-jung, okay?”
Wow.
Kim Eunju, you’re a better person than I expected.
“I was only planning to be kind to you because you’re Director Soo-jung’s son, but that’s not it at all.”
Kim Eunju patted my back and said brightly, “I’m looking forward to working with you! I like that you’re so spirited!”
Well then.
I’d better live up to her expectations.
“Please take good care of me!”
“Mm-hm. Same here.”
Kim Eunju stood up and took my hand.
“All right, then. Shall we go film?”
“Yesh!”
I looked toward the camera.
This time, I’m absolutely going to earn their recognition!
Just you wait, Ki Cho-un. I’ll make you regret it.
I grinned, and my heart started pounding.
* * *
The first scene we shot that day was me running. We filmed it in a wide shot and a full shot, with me looking around the neighborhood market in wonder.
Honestly, not hard.
Of course, I had to look genuinely curious.
It’d be a pain if several people had to redo the take and cause an NG.
So I nailed it on the first try.
And now we were on the second scene.
This is the one where the merchant shoves me and says he won’t sell to a fatherless kid.
A minor actor in a fake beard looked at me and tilted his head.
“Um, is it really okay for me to shove a kid this tiny?”
I smiled sweetly and said, “It’s fine! They put something soft down underneath.”
“Oh. R-right, they did. Still, thinking about shoving you makes me feel awful.”
The assistant director said, “You know you only need to give him a light push, right?”
“Of course.”
“And Gongza, you just need to fall lightly to the floor, okay?”
Hm. That would look clumsy.
I need to fall hard enough to make the viewers’ hearts ache.
Just then, Ki Cho-un, who had been watching, cut in.
“Well, if he gets hurt, it’ll be a headache. He’s Director Soo-jung’s son, after all.”
Why are you starting trouble?
The assistant director shook his head. “No, no, Cho-un. He’s a child actor. And he’s so young. Hmm, maybe we should cut the scene entirely? Should I suggest we just have the guy nudge his shoulder?”
Oh no.
“No way!”
The assistant director turned to me. I shook my head.
“Gongza can do it! I’ll fall down just a little!”
Just a little? Please.
I’m going to give them a perfect expression too.
I smiled at Ki Cho-un.
Watch closely, you punk.
The assistant director scratched his head.
“Uh, well, I mean...”
“Yesh!”
“I-I don’t know if I should listen to the kid or not.”
“I practiced already!”
“Huh?”
Because the script had already been sent out, Deok-su had shown me how to fall safely for this scene in advance.
I’ve got it completely memorized.
Not that I hadn’t known it already.
I smiled brightly. “I practiced falling! It’s okay!”
“Oh? R-right, I guess so.”
The assistant director sighed and went back to his position.
I loosened every muscle in my body, one by one. Of course, since this was a child’s body, there weren’t any stiff muscles to loosen.
They really are underestimating kids.
At this age, falling over is basically part of the job description.
Well, hitting your head would be a big problem.
I gauged the camera angle.
Hmm, this should be about right.
I checked the spot where I’d fall.
“All right, rolling.”
The extra stepped in front of me. He still looked worried.
“Stand by, cue!”
I looked at the extra with frightened eyes.
“How dare you mock our kid, you fatherless brat!”
A rough palm shoved my shoulder.
Damn...
There wasn’t enough force behind it. At this rate, I’d have to throw myself onto the floor on my own.
That’s hard if you don’t have experience.
But I could do it.
I dropped straight down to the floor.
Thud.
I made sure to let my weight flow through my palm as I hit.
I bit my lip while looking at the camera lens. Of course, I didn’t forget to put hurt into my eyes.
Then I heard the sound I’d been waiting for.
“Okay! Cut!”
PD Seonwoo Yeongjae laughed.
“Whoa. That came out really well.”
I knew it.
The extra hurried over and helped me to my feet.
“Kid, are you okay?”
“I’m okay!”
If anything, the problem was that there hadn’t been enough force.
“You’re not hurt anywhere?”
I looked down at my hand. I’d absorbed the impact, but it still stung a little.
Well, it’s just a bit numb.
I smiled brightly. The extra still looked uneasy.
“R-really, I’m okay!”
“Phew, thank goodness. All right, kid, you did well.”
“You too!”
I smiled and turned my head. I wanted to see the scene I’d just filmed.
That was when Ki Cho-un grabbed my hand to check it.
“Look at this guy. You’re lying. See the red here?”
Why is he like this again?
“Your fall was fine, but hey, you’re bleeding.”
Huh?
I didn’t notice that.
I clenched and unclenched my fist. A faint ache spread through my palm.
When I glanced down, there was a little blood on my hand.
Guess it got scraped.
Nothing serious. I looked at Ki Cho-un and said, “I didn’t know!”
“What?”
“When you’re standing around here, you can’t really tell.”
At least for me, that was true.
When I was acting, I was so focused that I didn’t really feel pain.
That’s why I’ve gone home and groaned to myself more than once.
Ki Cho-un looked at my palm and said, “You’re not crying?”
What was that supposed to mean?
“If you get hurt, you should bawl your eyes out.”
What is with this guy?
“This is strange. If you got in through connections, you should at least whine about it.”
What was this?
Ki Cho-un looked down at me and said, “What are you?”
I wanted to ask him the same thing.
Why are you always picking a fight with me?