Chapter 10
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 10
Even before the first take, Eun-seong had run through the choreography over thirty times during martial arts rehearsals. The scene was designed to capture, in raw detail, a secret agent’s desperate struggle to find his son.
He moved his body exactly as he had planned. Though he was entangled with over a dozen extras, not a single kick or punch was unchoreographed.
Recreating movements so deeply ingrained he could perform them with his eyes closed, Eun-seong flawlessly executed the one-take scene.
“Just looking at you, you don’t seem like the type to have kids. What about you? Do you have any?”
At that moment, he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Why did it matter so much when she was already married? Yet his chest tightened with a suffocating tension.
“Yes. I have a son.”
“Oh, really? A son? You don’t look like a mother at all. How old is he?”
“He’s in the second grade of elementary school this year.”
It felt as if the ground beneath his feet had split open, spewing hot lava.
“Oh my, you had him early! Goodness, if he’s in second grade, how old were you? Twenty-five? Wow. In this day and age, that makes you a real winner.”
His breath hitched in short, shallow gasps. The revelation that she had married and even had a child barely two years after their breakup sent a throbbing headache blooming behind his eyes.
He had no desire to rekindle anything with her now, but thinking about the years he’d spent struggling to move on made a hollow laugh escape his lips.
A wave of dizziness, unlike anything he had ever felt, washed over him.
“So you’re chasing the dream you had to put on hold while raising a baby? That’s not easy. You’re pretty cool, you know?”
“Ah… yes. That’s right. Because it’s my dream.”
I thought of you from time to time, never even knowing you had become another man’s wife. I even wondered if the reason my heart remained empty—even after climbing so high there was nowhere left to go—was because of you.
Because we broke up when my feelings were still a raging fire. Because we were torn apart when I had so much more love left to give. I had assumed that was why this lingering attachment clung to me so stubbornly.
But I was the one who chose the open road to success instead of holding onto you, so what right do I have to say anything? With what authority could I possibly blame you for finally chasing your own dream?
Yes. I have a son.
Eun-seong moved frantically, executing a series of high-difficulty action sequences. Staring at the endless wave of extras that never seemed to thin no matter how many he knocked down, he suddenly felt as if he were fighting his own lingering attachments made manifest.
“Cut! Okay!”
As soon as the director called cut, Eun-seong, who had been gripping an extra’s collar with a raised fist, let his arm drop.
The extra let out a huge, ragged breath. Even though he knew it was acting, the savage aura Eun-seong radiated had struck genuine fear into him. He’d even had the absurd thought that if the director had delayed the cut by a single second, he might have actually taken a brutal punch to the face.
“Good work,” Eun-seong said.
“Ah, yes! Great work, sir!”
Eun-seong helped the overwhelmed extra to his feet and offered a polite nod. When a staff member hurried over with a bottle of water, Eun-seong downed more than half of it in a single, breathless gulp.
He exhaled heavily, but no amount of hot air forced from his lungs could calm him. He wanted to believe his heart was hammering simply because of the intense brawl, but the rhythm of his pulse felt entirely different from anything he’d experienced before.
He crushed the half-empty plastic bottle in his grip. The staff member’s eyes widened in surprise before they scurried away.
Left alone in the space the crew had cleared for him to decompress, Eun-seong squeezed his eyes shut.
What about you? Do you have kids?
Calm down. There’s no need to make a fuss. There’s nothing to demand answers for.
It was your choice.
Yes. I have a son.
And this is the outcome I brought upon myself.
* * *
Yeon-ju’s family included an eight-year-old dog named Yam. A brown poodle, he was a beloved family member—a youngest son to Yeon-ju and a little brother to Han-byeol.
Though frail since puppyhood, devoted care had kept him free of major illnesses. He had been doing well, but a recent skin irritation prompted Han-byeol to visit a nearby animal hospital with his grandmother.
In the examination room sat a young veterinarian whose gentle appearance radiated sincerity. His desk was surrounded by photos of animals he had rescued while volunteering with welfare groups.
“Hello, Han-byeol. And Yam is here too, I see.”
Dr. Ju Geon-hui, the head of Iroun Animal Hospital, knew Yam well.
“Doctor, Yam keeps scratching himself.”
“How long has that been going on?”
“Since the day before yesterday.”
As Han-byeol explained the symptoms, Dr. Ju examined Yam’s skin. With their tightly curled coats, poodles were susceptible to moisture, making them prone to skin irritations.
“Let’s see… there’s a bit of inflammation in his ears, too. Poor Yam must have been so itchy.”
“That’s weird. I dried him really well,” Han-byeol muttered, scratching his own head as if it were his fault. “Hey, why are you so itchy? I dried you perfectly.”
Dr. Ju chuckled. Oblivious to his owner’s distress, Yam was too busy scratching to care, an adorably vacant expression on his face.
Dr. Ju patted Yam as he spoke. “Drying the undercoat is crucial, but regular brushing is just as important, so make sure to keep up with that. He’ll be back to normal in no time once you apply this ointment and give him his medicine.”
“Whenever I try to brush him, Yam runs away. Why does he do that?”
“He’s probably just not used to it yet. But since it’s for his own good, you have to keep at it. Try turning it into a game.”
“Okay, I will.”
Han-byeol gathered Yam, who had just received his shot, into his arms and began gently running his fingers through the dog’s fur like a comb. Dr. Ju smiled warmly at the endearing sight.
“Goodbye, Doctor.”
“Take care, Han-byeol.”
“But Doctor, why do you always speak so politely to me?”
“Huh?” Dr. Ju blinked in surprise. Pointing toward the waiting room, Han-byeol continued.
“Polite speech is for grown-ups like my grandmother. I’m way younger than you, so why do you use it with me?”
“Ah. Well… because you’re a valued client who visited our clinic?”
Realizing his answer sounded weak, Dr. Ju quickly waved his hands. For some reason, he felt compelled to give a truly earnest response.
“Because everyone deserves respect. Even though you’re young, Han-byeol, you are an individual with your own thoughts and feelings, so you deserve to be treated with respect.”
Satisfied with his own answer, Dr. Ju beamed. Han-byeol, however, gave him a thoroughly unimpressed look, as if wondering what kind of nonsense he was spouting.
“My mom is filming a movie right now.”
“Oh, really? Who is she? Is she an actress?”
“No, she’s not an actress. She dresses people. Appropriately.”
Appropriately. The child’s choice of words was so unusual and endearing that Dr. Ju couldn’t help but smile.
“Ah, so your mother is a stylist! Wow, she has a really cool job.”
Dr. Ju didn’t brush off the boy’s random comment. Han-byeol’s shoulders puffed up with pride at the chance to brag about his mother, and he gave a smug little shrug that made Dr. Ju’s smile widen.
“But Han-byeol, did you come here all by yourself?”
“No, I came with my grandma. But she’s old, and she hates coming to the clinic because she’s afraid of getting ripped off. She worries too much. Next time, I’ll just come by myself.”
“Ah… ripped off…” Dr. Ju’s voice trailed off.
He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the sight of a young grandson offering to come alone because his grandmother was terrified of being overcharged.
“You’re so mature and clever, Han-byeol. Your mom and grandma must feel so reassured to have you.”
“Well, what can you do? Someone’s gotta look after them. I just need to get the medicine and go, right? I’ll give it to him for a few days and come back.”
“That sounds like a plan.”
Dr. Ju watched Han-byeol walk out, then realized he couldn’t just let them leave like that and followed him. He approached Han-byeol’s grandmother, who was sitting on the waiting room sofa watching TV, and bowed politely.
“Ma’am, please rest assured that our clinic never overcharges or recommends unnecessary treatments. You can visit us with peace of mind.”
“Excuse me?”
Mrs. Na, completely caught off guard, looked at Han-byeol with a bewildered expression. Wondering what on earth the boy had blabbed to make the doctor come out and say this, she quickly waved her hands in embarrassment.
“Oh, this boy will be the death of me. Goodness, thank you for your hard work, Doctor. We’ll see you next time.”
“Yes, ma’am. Have a safe trip home.”
Dr. Ju went so far as to hold the door open as he saw them out. On his way back inside, he paused to look up at the clinic’s sign and let out a soft sigh.
“Does the sign not inspire trust? Maybe I should change the name…”
The worries of the head of Iroun Animal Hospital grew deeper.
* * *
“Oh, CEO Min, you’re here?”
Hae-young, who had been chewing on a piece of Gongjindan during a break, stood up. Taking in Tae-gon’s bespoke gingham check suit, she gave him a thumbs-up.
“No one can match your fashion sense, CEO Min. How do you always look so sharp? You know you’re a highly coveted talent, right?”
“Director Jin, you have a rookie on your team, don’t you? The new one who just joined.”
Despite her polite greeting, Tae-gon cut straight to the chase.
Hae-young, still chewing on the stubborn, hard-to-dissolve Gongjindan, wore a flat expression. Tae-gon sat on the sofa and raised a hand.
“Let the rookie go.”
“Let her go? Why?”
“There’s someone at our agency who handles Eun-seong exclusively. Hyeong-mi.”
“Yes, I know Team Leader Lee Hyeong-mi. What about her?”
Hae-young’s face fell at the sudden demand to fire Yeon-ju. The already bitter Gongjindan tasted even more foul, prompting her to spit the half-chewed herbal pill into a wet wipe and wrap it up.
“Hyeong-mi brought in a junior who needs some hands-on experience, so I want to add them to this team. I’d like you to take them under your wing and show them the ropes, Director Jin.”
“You should handle your own agency’s training, CEO Min. Why should I look after your staff? They aren’t even under my agency.”
“What do you mean, ‘your staff’ or ‘my staff’? We’re all one team on this project. Swapping out one rookie isn’t a big deal. Just do it, Director Jin.”
Tae-gon spoke in an authoritative, commanding tone.
Hae-young stared at him, letting out a dry, incredulous laugh. Just when she thought she had seen it all in this industry, she was reminded that there were still plenty of absurdities left to experience. True enlightenment, it seemed, was still a long way off.
“So, you’re telling me to throw my own person under the bus to accommodate yours?”
“Don’t be difficult. You’re acting like we can’t communicate.”
“You’re the one being unreasonable, CEO Min. You should make requests that are actually feasible.”
When Hae-young refused to back down, Tae-gon’s eyes narrowed with displeasure.
In the entertainment industry, Tae-gon was in the top 0.1% of power players, with virtually no rivals. To have a mere director act so insolently made his blood boil.
A tense silence stretched between them, neither willing to yield. They locked eyes, sizing each other up like wild beasts before a strike.
After a long moment, Hae-young raised a hand slightly and spoke.
“I can’t fire the rookie. Her contract is signed, and her pay has already been processed.”
“How much is it? I’ll pay it.”
“One billion won. Are you going to pay that?”
“I’ll pay it. Fire her.”
A subtle shift flickered across Hae-young’s face.
At this point, it seemed Tae-gon was less interested in getting his junior a job and more desperately determined to get Yeon-ju fired.
“CEO Min, do you even know our rookie?”
“How would I know who she is? I’m telling you to get rid of her because we need the spot.”
Staring at Tae-gon, who showed no sign of backing down, Hae-young arched an eyebrow.
Of course, Hae-young hadn’t paid a rookie one billion won, nor would Tae-gon actually hand over that kind of money. It was merely a battle of wills.
Since Tae-gon had called her bluff without hesitation, Hae-young let out a soft sigh and shrugged.
“Fine. Just send Team Leader Lee Hyeong-mi’s junior to me. I’ll train them myself. Might as well expand the team.”
At her compromise, Tae-gon’s brow furrowed. He wanted to press further—that firing the rookie was the entire point—but he knew pushing any more would be counterproductive.
Without another word, Tae-gon stood and left. Hae-young grimaced as she looked down at the half-chewed Gongjindan wrapped in the wet wipe in her hand.
“What a fucking waste. I try to eat something healthy for once, and that bastard CEO has to ruin it. Ugh.”
Unable to bring herself to throw it away, she began to nibble on the salvaged pill. But as the realization that she had just been pushed around crept in, a delayed wave of fury washed over her.
“Who does he think he is, telling me to fire my kid? I don’t even scold her because she’s too precious! Ah, getting angry while eating Gongjindan ruins the health benefits, but I am so fucking pissed. Maybe I should’ve just taken the billion won and given it to Yeon-ju! Argh!”
Taking deep, steadying breaths, Hae-young finished the rest of the Gongjindan. She chewed it slowly and viciously, as if grinding Tae-gon himself between her teeth, before swallowing it whole.