Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: First Trip to Japan
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[…So, the director is building a new filming set this time.]
“You’re building a filming set?”
[Yeah, he wasn’t satisfied with the existing one, so he’s renting land and constructing it from scratch.]
Moon Chang-sik’s words left me a bit dumbfounded.
Do you really go that far just to shoot one movie?
“Then will I be filming there too?”
[Probably? But the scenes with you, Suhyun, could honestly be done at the old broadcast station set without much issue, so I’m not sure.]
That made sense. My role didn’t involve much movement anyway—just one scene, no need for all that effort.
“Hmm… so when do I film?”
[It won’t take long. Probably the week after next, so you should practice more leisurely in the meantime.]
I fell into thought at Moon Chang-sik’s voice over the phone.
The actual shoot was right around the corner. Was I really ready?
He’d praised me, but I still felt unsure, so like he said, I’d practice during the remaining time.
[By the way, there’s a lot of noise around you. Where are you headed?]
Noise? Did the sounds carry that much over the call?
“Oh, I’m heading to the airport right now.”
“The airport?”
“Yeah, going to Japan today.”
Today was the long-awaited departure day.
Ah, should I phrase it like that? Technically, it was the day before Dad’s birthday.
A 2-night, 3-day overseas trip, leaving Friday morning and returning Sunday.
For someone like me who’d only flown to Jeju Island, this first international trip felt unfamiliar, but passports were quick these days, and entry was just a simple QR code—no real hassle.
[Japan… Lucky.]
“Have you been to Japan?”
I wondered if that sounded off after saying it.
As a famous actor, he must have gone plenty of times.
[Yeah, many times. Filmed there too.]
“Oh… You speak Japanese well then?”
[Basic vocabulary, sure.]
No way, for real? Wow, he even knew a foreign language.
Did being an actor make you pick up all sorts of random skills?
[Anyway, have a safe trip. See you on set.]
“Got it. Thanks for your work.”
Click—
Ending the call with Moon Chang-sik, Mom, who’d been watching me intently, asked casually.
“Who were you talking to like that?”
“Oh, Moon Chang-sik.”
“What?”
“We’re at the airport now, right?”
“Who did you say??”
After arriving at the airport like that, we boarded the Japan-bound flight we’d been waiting for.
We settled into our pre-booked seats, listened to the safety briefing, and the plane took off.
The flight itself was no big deal—probably because it was short. No in-flight meal, and it felt like we landed in Japan in the blink of an eye.
The procedures were ridiculously simple too. Fill out one form lightly, scan the prepped QR code, done.
Then just pass through customs, flash our passports, and suddenly we were at a Japanese international airport.
It was so straightforward I felt a bit deflated, but hey, first overseas trip.
Once out of the airport, signs in unreadably foreign script mixed with tourists of every race like us—it was chaotic at first, and we wandered a bit.
“Ugh, this place is a madhouse! Just come this way!”
“Uh, okay.”
Luckily, Dad and Mom had overseas travel experience, so we navigated out of the airport and made it to the subway station somehow.
“Uh… so…”
We bought tickets from the unmanned machine using yen we’d exchanged in advance, fumbling a bit but getting help from a translation app and station staff to print tickets to our destination.
We arrived at the planned area, dropped our bags at the hotel, and headed out.
The Japanese scenery and shops everywhere really drove home that we were on vacation, but there were more Koreans and foreigners than expected.
I’d heard it was a famous tourist spot, but this many?
Almost half locals, half foreigners.
And even…
“Um… you’re Korean, right?”
“Uh, yeah. How’d you know?”
“You can tell at a glance. Here alone?”
“Huh?”
“We’re here as a pair…”
While my parents were briefly away, I even got hit on by fellow Koreans.
It was so absurd I could only laugh dryly.
“I’m here with family.”
“Aww, then why are you alone?”
“They went to the bathroom. There they are—Dad!”
I called out, and Dad, strolling leisurely with Mom from afar, spotted us and hardened his expression.
The two Koreans noticed too and quickly made themselves scarce.
“Those guys…”
“Aigoo, our daughter’s so popular?”
Shrugging at Dad and Mom’s differing reactions to the same scene.
“Eh, whatever. Let’s go eat.”
“Yeah, there’s a good spot nearby.”
We lined up at the popular restaurant for a meal, then took a stroll to get some air. While waiting after stepping out early, a group of guys with backpacks approached me.
“Excuse me… Korean?”
“Yeah? Yes.”
“Alone? We’re three…”
“Oh… we’re three too.”
The leader brightened at “three.”
“Wow, really? What a coincidence…”
“With Mom and Dad, so three. Go on your way.”
“Yep…”
The guy left, but after that, whenever I was alone, someone inevitably approached.
Did I really look like a solo Korean traveler?
No, more like I hadn’t noticed before because of timing or being with others, but tourist spots were crawling with chatty people.
Just as I was getting annoyed by the constant approaches, our schedule wrapped up. We headed back to the hotel, celebrated Dad’s birthday with the pre-bought cake, and ended day one.
**
The next morning.
I left the hotel early alone to head to our meetup spot.
Breathing the crisp morning air—no different from Korea—while walking through the sparsely peopled Japanese streets gave me a strange feeling.
Like I’d become a Japanese citizen. The wooden Japanese-style buildings and houses soothed my mind somehow.
I could see myself coming for a longer trip someday, I thought, leisurely taking in the scenery and shops as I followed the map to the subway.
Surprisingly, the subway had quite a crowd: salarymen with briefcases, and even students in uniforms despite it being Saturday.
Did Japan have school on Saturdays?
Anyway, I bought a ticket from the machine and boarded right away.
Gazing at the unfamiliar scenery different from Korea, waiting for my stop, when a message came from Tenshi-san, who I was meeting today.
[Tenshi-san: Where are you at?]
Where was this? I sent the station name, roughly phonetically in English, and got a quick reply.
[Tenshi-san: Be right there! I’ve arrived. Wearing a brown coat.]
Brown coat?
Fitting for the weather, sure…
I looked around.
Was brown coat trendy in Japan? Already three in this car alone.
…Could I find her?
Whatever, I’d text when I got there.
We arrived at the agreed station, but being in a bustling area, it was crowded even early.
Too many people and the station too big—brown coat alone wasn’t enough. I messaged again.
[Tenshi-san: You here? What are you wearing?]
Clothes? Just jeans and a knit hoodie.
This outfit seemed… rare around here?
Japan and Korea had subtly different fashion trends, I realized, snapping a pic of my top and bottom and sending it to Tenshi-san.
After a pause, she replied.
[Tenshi-san: Cute outfit! I’ll look for you.]
She said she’d search, but I think I spotted her first.
From afar, a woman kept glancing around, checking her phone nonstop.
Short stature, but light brown hair stood out.
Brown coat like she said… but for a VTuber, her makeup seemed a bit flashy.
…Not like I could talk.
Anyway, I messaged again, saw the light brown-haired woman check her phone, and approached.
Up close, she looked more like a girl than a woman.
Older than me, I thought, but baby-faced?
Not certain yet, so one more message. She checked again, and I was convinced.
Tempted to scare her, but no way.
Nah.
No need to try hard with someone physically smaller.
Someone born superior like me was a surprise just by existing.
I sidled right up and tapped her shoulder.
She turned, phone in hand.
“Excuse me, Tenshi-san?”
I was sure, but worried if wrong—then her eyes widened, and she spoke in a familiar voice.
“Eh? Really?”
“Nice to meet you.”
And so, I finally had my first in-person meeting with an online friend.