Mom, Why Are You Crying?
Park Soo-yeon rose from her seat without thinking. Her husband, assuming it was a work call, held his breath. The scrape of the chair cut through the silence like a blade.
"Yes, yes. Dan-wol."
Woo Dan-wol?! Her husband’s eyes flew wide open mid-bite, rice still on his spoon. As a die-hard fan of I Want to Stay for Just One More Minute, the name hit his ears like a spotlight.
The conversation continued, and she finally told him she was Director Park Soo-yeon.
"Ahaha..."
Park Soo-yeon let out an awkward laugh. She had already forgotten the incident. The first impression hadn’t been pleasant, but when she weighed the background and advantages he brought, it no longer mattered. Besides, her husband was a fan. How could she afford to dislike him?
"It’s fine."
"…You did?"
She swallowed hard. Revealing her world to someone else was always nerve-racking. Even before she was a director, as a creator she could never escape the tension.
"Ah..."
Ten years. She had worked all that time just to hear those words. From her first dreams of becoming a director, long before she was even an assistant director. Every single day she had endured, sleeping less, pushing harder.
The day she had decided to let go of everything, who could have guessed she would receive an opportunity like this?
"Ugh..."
Feeling embarrassed, Park Soo-yeon lowered the phone slightly so her sobbing wouldn’t be heard.
"I’m sorry, could I call you back in a moment?"
Director. He had called her Director. Only after the call ended did she hear her son’s voice.
"Mom, why are you crying?"
"Because I’m happy… hic, because I’m so happy."
"What happened?"
"I… I might actually get to be a director."
Her husband smiled with genuine delight. It was happiness. The thought that she might finally realize the dream she had chased for more than ten years made Park Soo-yeon’s heart thunder in her chest.
The tight embrace that held her close was the love of a husband who had supported her from behind, believing in her every step.
"Who was it?"
"Ah, the director."
"Oh… so you’re making a movie?"
"Yeah."
Ri-na was sliding a book into her bag. Standing next to Woo Dan-wol, she had naturally learned what it was about.
"Why are you eavesdropping?"
"W-w-who! Who said I was eavesdropping!"
"Hmm..."
When Woo Dan-wol fixed her with a stare, Ri-na quickly looked away. Having done it so blatantly, she clearly felt guilty. Vacation was over and Ri-na, now a high school freshman, was getting her books ready. But why does she have to do it right next to me? That was Woo Dan-wol’s thought.
"…I’m curious, okay."
"Looks like the next project is a movie."
In the end, Ri-na was the first to fold. Wasn’t the fandom radar always more honest than instinct? It felt a little strange to fangirl over family, but what did it matter?
Ri-na had become famous among fans as the named user who delivered updates on Woo Dan-wol. Some might wonder what the point was, but as someone experiencing the thrill of becoming a community named user for the first time, none of that noise reached her ears.
Anyway. The next morning arrived, and Lee Hye-ri officially sat down for a conversation with Director Park Soo-yeon.
Gathering investors proved surprisingly easy. The fundamental logic of investing money to earn money applied here, and within that framework Woo Dan-wol was an exceptionally attractive product.
Back-to-back home runs. Anyone familiar with entertainment industry trends would throw their money at the project without hesitation.
The director lacked name recognition, yet even the investors could see that her scenario was a finely crafted piece. On top of that, the male lead was Woo Dan-wol? Even better.
"Noona."
"Y-yes!"
"What are you doing?"
Woo Dan-wol had stepped into the company practice room. Han Da-sol leapt like a child caught watching something she shouldn’t, hands waving frantically in the air as she insisted nothing was going on. Woo Dan-wol found it odd but nodded anyway.
"I-I was practicing. Running lines."
She couldn’t possibly admit she had been practicing while thinking of him—especially not if the scene involved a kiss. Woo Dan-wol’s mouth opened to speak, but Han Da-sol’s gaze remained glued to his lips.
"Then shall we film the movie?"
"Movie?"
"Yes. I have the script right here."
It had already been discussed with Director Park Soo-yeon. When asked about casting Han Da-sol as the female lead, the actress had nodded with an almost ecstatic expression, and the matter was settled.
At the word “script,” Han Da-sol’s professional instincts kicked in. True to her reputation as an acting-obsessed performer, she began reading the pages slowly.
"…It’s good."
"Right?"
"Should I let the CEO know?"
"Aren’t you busy?"
"Doesn’t feel like it."
In reality she was swamped. The company wasn’t so relaxed that its CEO could wander around freely. It was simply that every time Woo Dan-wol appeared, her entire focus shifted to him, making her seem leisurely.
"A rookie director?"
"Yes, but she spent a long time as an assistant director."
"I thought she already had several notable works."
Han Da-sol tilted her head, puzzled. She had assumed the director was someone well-known. Judging solely by the scenario’s quality, it felt like the work of a filmmaker capable of delivering a ten-million-viewer blockbuster.
Time flowed on, and Woo Dan-wol’s next project was officially confirmed. Investment was secured. The lead roles were filled.
There was no reason it couldn’t be produced. Of course many details still needed alignment—including the release window—but filming could at last begin.
It was welcome news for the fans. While the saying “no news is good news” existed, those who had watched his indefinite hiatus with growing anxiety were on the verge of losing their minds. Even if they couldn’t see him right away, the knowledge that he was coming back filled the community with joy.
"Oppa, where are you going?"
"Uh…"
The Woo Dan-wol that Ri-na knew was a homebody. He never went out unless someone called him. Of course, his acting career often forced him to travel, but this was the first time he had left the house dressed so suspiciously.
Black hoodie, black pants. Practical clothes for a chilly spring day, yet on actor Woo Dan-wol they looked downright suspicious.
"Are you running away from home?"
"…?"
"I’ll be back in a few days."
"…???"
What did I just hear? Only after Woo Dan-wol left and the electronic lock clicked shut could Ri-na collect her thoughts.
"No way..."
When Ri-na entered her first year of high school, he was twenty-five. What kind of twenty-five-year-old man ran away from home? She only realized it was real the night he didn’t come back.
The next morning, Ri-na went to Woo Dan-wol’s agency.
"Have you seen my brother?"
"…Isn’t he at home?"
Alarm flashed across Lee Hye-ri’s face. She had assumed he was resting on a leisurely weekend. As Ri-na spoke, her expression gradually darkened.
This was serious. An actor disappearing without a word?
"L-last..."
Her body swayed. He wouldn’t have made an extreme choice, would he? Countless news headlines flashed through her mind.
The first thing she needed to ask Ri-na was what the missing person’s last appearance had been.
"He said he was running away from home..."
"Sorry?"
Had she misheard? Lee Hye-ri’s expression shifted. Was what she just heard true?
Most adult missing-person reports turned out to be voluntary disappearances. Given that he was in his mid-twenties, it wasn’t impossible. But what kind of adult announced they were running away before leaving the house?
No matter how low the crime rate was in South Korea, the fact that he was a man made the situation delicate and worrying.
"He said he’d be back in a few days..."
"…All right. I’ll look into it. Try not to worry too much."
"Thank you, Unnie."
"......"
Could siblings really be this similar? They had only met a few times, yet she immediately called her “Unnie.” The corner of Lee Hye-ri’s mouth twitched. The age gap was obvious if you counted on both hands, yet the casual address suggested Ri-na would do well in society.
After Ri-na left the CEO’s office, Lee Hye-ri immediately dialed Woo Dan-wol. The ringtone sounded and she bit her lip hard.
"Dan-wol, where are you..."
He actually picked up? Come to think of it, the last time she had seen him was yesterday morning. Only a single day had passed.
"…?"
Lee Hye-ri’s expression grew increasingly strange. When she thought about it, there was a reason for his disappearance. While suddenly staying out overnight was unusual, knowing how obsessed he was with acting, it made perfect sense that he would do something like this for script analysis.
"What do you mean by that..."
Indeed, right after the call ended, articles about Woo Dan-wol appeared that evening.
A celebrity quietly performing good deeds? The reporter discovered it by chance.