Diving Into Chungmuro
Ri-na's eyes grew wider and wider. Why is he here?
Tears welled up, and though she tried to hold back the sob that threatened to escape, the surge of emotion was impossible to hide.
Self-reproach. She had told him not to come, yet here she was, feeling pathetic for missing him anyway. That was Woo Ri-na.
Woo Dan-wol approached her slowly.
Several women in black suits stood guard around him. No one had dared approach aggressively from the start, but they couldn't stop the murmurs of recognition that rippled through the crowd.
"Is the oath ceremony the only thing left?"
"Yeah..."
Escorted by bodyguards, he looked every bit the celebrity. The black coat suited him perfectly—not flashy, yet far from careless. His tasteful fashion drew involuntary gasps of admiration.
Parents and teachers, drawn by the commotion among the students, began to gather.
"Um… excuse me."
"Ma'am?"
Ri-na's eyes filled with betrayal. She had heard the rumors, but seeing it with her own eyes was on another level.
A woman in her thirties, clearly sniffing out a celebrity, approached. The teacher the students called "Tank" began speaking with him.
"Hello."
"Oh! Hello there."
There was an atmosphere to it. Woo Dan-wol greeted the woman first—she clearly carried the aura of a teacher—and she responded with a bouncy, lively reply.
"I'm Ri-na's homeroom teacher."
"I should have contacted you beforehand. I'm sorry."
"Oh, no, not at all! You must be so busy. I stay in touch with her father from time to time, so it's fine."
"I'll stay quiet and leave without causing any trouble. Sorry for the inconvenience..."
"Ah, no! Not at all. It's perfectly fine."
It was the teacher's personal impression. Rumors about Woo Dan-wol's good character had spread in proportion to the malicious comments calling him promiscuous. Everything he said was genuine, the kind of thing that should have been obvious. Yet in this world, there were plenty of people who couldn't even manage basic decency, making others frown.
After the final oath and greetings, the graduation ceremony came to an end. Since Ri-na had transferred in during her third year, she didn't feel particularly moved. Or rather, the moment her brother arrived, all her pent-up sorrow simply vanished.
"Congratulations on graduating, Ri-na."
"Thanks, oppa."
The murmurs grew closer. It wasn't just the Ri-na trio beside her. The news that a celebrity had come to the school had drawn a crowd.
"Whoa, it's really Woo Dan-wol."
"Insane. He's ridiculously handsome?"
"So the rumors weren't lies?"
"I believed in him! I...!!"
Ri-na's lips trembled. The students who had cursed at her, calling her a liar for praising her brother, now stood there stunned.
Her past, which she had quietly endured rather than directly refuted, finally began to see the light. The admiration and praise. Her own brother was receiving such words? A rush of satisfying pleasure washed over her.
It was a slightly dark emotion, but was there really a problem? She wasn't expressing it openly. She was just feeling it.
"Please take a photo for us!"
"Ahaha… Alright. Why don't you all gather with your friends? I'll take one big shot."
"Dan-wol, I loved your acting!"
"Thank you. Father, Mother."
"Could I get an autograph..."
"Yes, of course."
Woo Dan-wol responded to everyone with an unwavering smile. It was the responsibility of a celebrity and basic courtesy toward fans. He understood this fact very well. As long as he had the strength, he would do his best not to disappoint them.
"Ah…?"
Ri-na, who felt like her brother had been stolen from her. The brief sense of superiority she had felt vanished in an instant. All she could do was stare at him with hollow eyes as he was swallowed by the crowd.
So. So this was why. This was why she had told him not to come.
Her happiness lasted only a moment. She lowered her head, looking dejected. Then, two hands landed on her shoulders at once.
"Hang in there."
"Yeah."
"You guys..."
Jin Yu-jeong and Lee Da-bin. They began comforting her. These were the same girls who had been no different from her just days ago. Ri-na made a dumbfounded face.
"You… you little—"
"Run away~"
"Uahaha!"
Was this fan service? Having seen her brother's smile and charming acting, these deceivers, these wicked girls, were her one and only precious friends.
Woo Dan-wol's popularity gradually quieted down. It was only natural. Media outlets constantly fed the public sensational content, and he was in the middle of a short break. Whenever his name came up, the buzz would flare up again.
The incident at MM Middle School spread across the internet through pens and keyboards. It wasn't just one or two people who had seen him. Everyone said they had received sincere fan service and felt truly inspired.
Long-time fans nodded with satisfaction. Those who had only known of his existence became fans on the spot.
Of course, some criticized him for disrupting the graduation ceremony. But once eyewitness accounts from people who had been there emerged, the criticism died down immediately. Not only the teachers, but he had organized the crowd into orderly lines, taking photos and giving autographs one by one. He had even waited until after all the official graduation events were over—more than two hours.
It was the kind of story that would be talked about for a long time.
Fans were still thirsty. Every time they watched another video, the standard for male actors' acting skills rose higher.
It was the effect created by a single man—Woo Dan-wol. Viewers who had witnessed his magnificent performances had developed much higher standards.
As a result, there were no longer any male actors in Korea who could perform at that level. The one and only person had gone into self-reflection, so whenever they missed him, they had no choice but to rewatch his old work.
Time passed like that, and March arrived. Spring came, and Woo Dan-wol began quietly sniffing around the film industry.
It wasn't for any other reason. A director with a solid reputation had sent him a love call. The director had known about his period of self-reflection, but he had built up quite a career of his own.
Whether he was arrogant or simply confident, Woo Dan-wol would have to see for himself. The director had asked him to come in person to read the script. Woo Dan-wol didn't show any sign of displeasure.
He genuinely wasn't upset. Weren't there always eccentrics in the arts? He saw it as a form of confidence—in himself and in his work. So he climbed into the black van. Directly. To meet the director.
Meanwhile, at a film company in Chungmuro, two women with a long history were having a conversation.
"Assistant Director. Isn't it time you let it go?"
"…Is it really that bad?"
"I feel too sorry for you. It's still early for you to go independent, but don't you have a son to think about?"
"…Yes."
The age difference between them was a full twelve years. Their relationship had begun from that zodiac gap.
One was a woman who had made a name for herself as a director at the age of thirty-four. The other was the assistant director who had supported her. Their connection had started in the mid-twenties.
Time was merciless. Ten years had already passed. She had learned a lot from working under others, but when it came to independent scenarios, she still couldn't catch the eye of investors.
At thirty-five, she was no longer at an age where she could chase dreams or cling to lingering attachments. She had a family to take responsibility for.
It was time to leave behind the empty dreams of her twenties and face reality.
"Thank you for everything."
"…Yes. You've worked hard."
Park Soo-yeon. She had dreamed of becoming a director out of pure passion, but in the end, she was the woman who had spoken the words of surrender.
She turned around and grabbed the doorknob. Once she walked out, she probably wouldn't set foot in this place again. The moment the door opened, the old director, still seated at his desk, smiled.
It was a wicked, cunning smile. At the same time, it was refreshingly liberating. As if ten years of accumulated grime had been wiped away. Those words suited her perfectly.
Park Soo-yeon took a step forward. Her steps faltered. She slowly reached for the elevator and headed down to the first-floor lobby.
It was a glamorous building. She had once thought of it as half her own company. But in reality, it belonged to the director she had followed for ten years.
Park Soo-yeon was just another nameless, mediocre director who couldn't secure investment. The scenario in her arms weighed heavily on her mind.
A creator's work was like a child. A son, a daughter. She had raised it with care, written it together as if it were her own flesh and blood.
She gripped the scenario in her arms even tighter. It hurt, but compared to reality, it was nothing. Social status? It was nothing compared to the sight of her husband clutching his head while balancing the household budget.
The strength left the hand that had been gripping the scenario so tightly. A large circular trash can. She abandoned her child there.
It was a bitter, regretful act. But it was also an apology. An apology to her family, and a sense of responsibility.
It was over now. A sigh escaped Park Soo-yeon's lips. Just as she was about to step outside—
A man came into view. There was a woman following behind him, but Park Soo-yeon's eyes saw only the man.
Woo Dan-wol. How could she not know him? Anyone involved in dramas or films would recognize the name. He was a newcomer, yet already a celebrity. Park Soo-yeon had been worn down over ten years in the industry, but she remained unknown.
Even so, their eyes met. Woo Dan-wol gave her a slight nod in greeting.
Park Soo-yeon hadn't expected it. She knew who he was, but he surely wouldn't know her.
He was probably just being polite to some auntie coming out of a film company. Maybe he thought she might be a director. It was nothing. Just nothing at all.
She kept walking. Their bodies passed each other. Just as she was about to step through the door, a man's voice called out from behind.
"This."
"……."
Her footsteps stopped. There was no subject, but she knew exactly what he meant. A small spark of hope bloomed in Park Soo-yeon's heart.
"Did you write this yourself?"
"……."
Park Soo-yeon slowly turned her head. The child she had just thrown into the trash can—the script—was now held in Woo Dan-wol's hand.