The Price of a Coin
So he must have gone to see some famous fortune-teller.
That’s all superstition, Director Seonwoo Yeongjae.
I can guess roughly what he was told, though: that the youngest person on set today would get hurt.
I tilted my head. Me?
I looked around. This set had been prepared with ridiculous care. Maybe because I’m a kid, they’re protecting me far more than necessary?
I glanced at the staff member who had been praying to every god earlier; he was now diligently adjusting the lights.
Well, accidents can happen when you least expect them...
For some reason, I didn’t feel like I was the one who’d get hurt.
Then again, maybe that’s just my intuition talking.
I stood up. My intuition is usually right.
Even if a fortune-teller said somebody would get injured, wouldn’t it be fine as long as we prepared thoroughly?
I took my place in front of the camera. The assistant director spoke from beside me.
“Gongja, just walk from here to there and smile. Don’t smile too broadly! You know, like in a movie!”
Ah. He means I should smile faintly.
Message received.
“Yup!”
The assistant director ran backward, flashing an OK sign. A moment later, the voice I’d been waiting for rang out.
“Ready, action!”
I walked slowly while wearing a gentle smile, just like in a film. The flowers swayed in the wind.
“Okay! Cut! Wow, that’s art.”
People gathered around the monitor.
I want to see it too.
Duksu came over at once, and I caught his hand.
“Gongja wants to see that too.”
“The monitor?”
“Yes.”
Duksu carried me over to the monitor. Then Director Seonwoo Yeongjae scooped me up in his arms.
“You want to watch too, Gongja?”
“Yup!”
“All right, let’s see it.”
I stared at the screen. There I was, wearing a hanbok and walking slowly through a field of flowers.
Wow. This face really is something.
How had simply smiling turned into footage like this?
It was my own face, and yet all I could do was admire it.
Radiant.
Even the raw footage looked expensive.
Having once been ugly in my previous life, I knew this much for sure: this face has to be preserved at all costs.
No alcohol. No cigarettes. Absolutely not.
I was clenching my fist with a sense of righteous duty when someone behind me said, “Wow, he’s pretty.”
“Right?”
“How exactly does a kid like this grow up?”
What are you so curious about? The answer’s obvious.
He’ll grow up well.
In warmth, money, and his mother’s love—comfortably, of course.
“Oh? You’re curious about that too, Cho-un?”
“Yes, PD. Honestly, even right now, with that face, his acting is slapping around most adult actors from both sides.”
“Exactly. His acting is incredible. I’ve never seen a kid Gongja’s age act this well.”
“When I was acting with him, I felt like I was matching cues with a senior who’d been in the business for over ten years. This little thing somehow felt enormous.”
Just from watching this?
I grinned. Honestly, the role of Lee Yoon wasn’t that difficult.
He’s just a good kid who wants to be filial to his mother.
Really, I didn’t even need a deep character analysis.
Still, I do want to play a more complicated character someday.
Is that too much for a child actor?
No. That’s just a prejudice.
Even child actors could have complex roles.
“So now people are going to realize Gongja can act,”
Director Seonwoo Yeongjae said as he patted my back.
“What a shame. I wish Gongja would appear in my next project too.”
“You already had a hard time getting Gongja for this one.”
“That’s true, but I can’t help wanting more. Just point the camera at him, and scenes like this come out.”
Then he leaned close and whispered, “Gongja, promise me something. You’ll appear in my next project too, right?”
This guy.
I smiled brightly. “PD!”
“Hmm?”
“You can’t go making promises like that so casually!”
Where do you think you’re trying to step?
As for whether it’s easy or hard to cast me, I honestly don’t know.
But if it’s the hard one, then get in line.
Director Seonwoo Yeongjae suddenly staggered.
“Ah, Gongja just got me there.”
“Sharp little brat.”
I beamed and swung my legs. Ki Cho-un came over and ruffled my hair.
“Gongja.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m asking because it seems like you’re really good at acting, but...”
Don’t ask me. I’m little.
“What do you think I should do to act well?”
That was a very absurd question.
Why ask me?
You should be asking an acting coach or a veteran actor.
What am I even supposed to say to that?
I was wondering whether I should just wing it when I noticed the look in Ki Cho-un’s eyes.
What’s with him? He’s serious.
No, why ask a three-year-old—no, maybe a four-year-old? And on top of that, my acting career is still short!
But if he’s being this earnest, I guess I should give him a proper answer.
I smiled sweetly and said, “Bro, your eyes go all over the place when you’re in front of the camera!”
“Huh?”
“You look at me too much!”
Actually, that was the reason his performance had so many ups and downs.
His concentration is a little weak.
He worried about his scene partner too much.
Of course, you do have to pay attention to your partner if you want the chemistry to work.
Still, you’re overdoing it.
“Uh...”
I smiled brightly and shut my mouth.
I could tell him to focus more on his own acting, but...
It would be weird coming from a kid.
I’ve probably already crossed the line enough as it is.
Sure enough, Director Seonwoo Yeongjae was looking at me strangely.
I wish he wouldn’t think too hard about it.
Ki Cho-un, you idiot. If you wanted to ask, you should’ve done it somewhere without people around.
That was when a staff member approached and said, “Ah, Cho-un. Get ready.”
Director Seonwoo Yeongjae blinked. “Ah, the next scene is the sword fight, right?”
“Yes.”
“Be careful.”
Ki Cho-un grinned and patted my head.
“Honestly, I don’t really know what you mean, but I think I’ve heard something similar from the coach too.”
Well, it was a pretty obvious weakness.
“You said I lack concentration, right? I got it.”
Ki Cho-un smiled. “For this scene, I’ll focus on my own acting instead of my partner’s!”
Wow, he actually got it.
Though for an action scene, that’s kind of pointless.
You’re already great at focusing when you use your body.
But I couldn’t say that part out loud. Ki Cho-un ran off shouting, “Kid! Watch your big brother carefully! I look really cool, okay?”
No. It’s nap time. I need to sleep.
I blinked. Director Seonwoo Yeongjae set me down on the floor and said, “Please watch a little. I think he wants to show off because he’s your big brother.”
I let out a long sigh.
He really does put on a show.
Still, that was just how he’d always been.
Director Seonwoo Yeongjae patted my head. “Anyway, I was worried after listening to that shaman, but I’m relieved you weren’t hurt, Gongja.”
Ah. That superstition.
So he really did take it seriously.
Honestly, why go around fortune-telling for no reason?
Well, the future changes because of people’s efforts.
If I didn’t get hurt, then that was enough. I blinked and glanced at Ki Cho-un. He was in the middle of rehearsal in the flower garden where I’d been walking, sword in hand.
Every time he swung it, the skirt of his hanbok robe fluttered.
Honestly, that’s the charm of historical dramas.
Ah, I want to grow up fast and swing a sword too.
Extras in black costumes came rushing in. Ki Cho-un spun once and clashed blades with them.
Clang—
I’m kind of jealous, honestly.
When am I going to be big enough to film action scenes like that?
I quietly looked down at my own hands. They were still tiny.
Let’s not get impatient.
The fact that I can act at all is a good thing.
Don’t forget I’m already full to the brim as it is.
Of course, I did want to keep making more and more projects.
Then the staff member said, “All right, we’re going in. Stand by, cue!”
The swords clashed, Ki Cho-un’s robe flared and settled again, and that was when I blinked.
Huh?
Clang—
Maybe the extra had lost strength in his grip, because the sword suddenly shot upward.
“Huh?”
“Ah!”
I wasn’t the only one startled. I could feel the other actors faltering too.
Duck!
The extra noticed it and immediately backed away. But Ki Cho-un, too focused to see it, kept moving along his blocking and turned once more.
The sword dropped downward.
The staff member shouted, “Cho-un! Back!”
Thwack—
I couldn’t see the scene, because Director Seonwoo Yeongjae had thrown his body in front of me.
I heard a scream. Director Seonwoo Yeongjae shot forward like a bullet.
“Aaah!”
“Cho-un!”
I blinked.
The sword had lodged itself in Cho-un’s arm.
Damn it!
Instinctively, I shouted, Use Coin!
How would you like to use a Love & Peace Coin?
I was just about to yell for healing when I noticed a staff member trying to pull the sword out.
This lunatic!
He can’t pull that out!
But if I shout it myself, that’ll be weird.
And besides, I didn’t think they’d stop just because I said so.
Then a suitable target appeared right in front of me.
Make Director Seonwoo Yeongjae shout for them to stop.
To make Director Seonwoo Yeongjae shout, “Stop!” requires 2,000 coins. Do you wish to proceed?
Proceed!
Executed.
Every action has a price.
As the cost of using the coin, you’ll fall into a sleep so deep it will feel like fainting, for four hours, starting four minutes from now.
Oh, damn! The price! This is insane!
I hurriedly looked around and relaxed when I saw Duksu already behind me.
At least if I suddenly pass out, I won’t crack my skull on the back of my head.
I looked forward again. Director Seonwoo Yeongjae shouted, “Stop!”
The staff member froze before he could pull the filming sword out.
Ah, good.
Immediately, the other staff members chimed in.
“Right. He has to go to the hospital as is.”
“Yes! He has to go exactly like that!”
“Cho-un! Are you okay?”
“It hurts.”
I let out a breath of relief. Director Seonwoo Yeongjae touched his mouth as if it were strange that he’d been the one to yell stop.
“Ambulance!”
“A car is faster!”
The staff members moved in a flurry of dust and noise.
My scene is done, so I can pass out in peace now.
Maybe I’ll just faint a little?
As if it had been waiting for permission, my eyes closed.
I lost my balance, but Duksu caught me from behind at once. Then I heard him shout, “Gongja!”
Ah.
He must have been startled.
I hadn’t thought of that.
Someone was calling my name. The staff must have seen me collapse too.
What should I do?
That was my last thought before everything went dark. When I opened my eyes again, I was no longer on the set.
Damn. There were so many better ways to handle that.
I blinked. The moment I regained consciousness, regret came rushing over me like a tidal wave.
First of all, I’d completely forgotten that using the coin would come with a price for shouting stop.
Well, fine—let’s say I was panicking. But what came after that was just plain stupid.
I should’ve just lain down before worrying about my skull getting cracked open!
A sigh escaped me all on its own.
If I’d lain down before checking Duksu’s position, none of this would’ve happened...
Instead, I’d made myself collapse like I’d fainted.
Well, leaving that aside... what happened to Ki Cho-un?