Chapter 11
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 11
“I was so mortified at the clinic because of Han-byeol. Next time Yam needs to go to the animal hospital, you take him. I’m too embarrassed to go back.”
Her mother’s voice sounded distant. Yeon-ju sat at the dining table, staring blankly at the box of Gongjindan.
“Anyway, Yeon-ju, do they just hand out expensive things like this at your job? My goodness, how much must this have cost? Who gave it to you? The director?”
“No. The lead actor.”
“My, how generous. He must make a fortune, giving such a nice gift to a junior staff member. It’s too precious to eat. How can we?”
Mrs. Na, having just stored the Hanwoo set in the kimchi refrigerator, turned her attention back to the Gongjindan. She had only ever heard how good it was for one’s health, and now, seeing it for the first time, she gazed at it with a pleased expression, as if it were too precious to even touch.
Sensing her mother’s burning gaze, Yeon-ju slid the box toward her.
“Don’t be like that. Go ahead and have one.”
“Oh, please. Just looking at it makes me feel energized. Do I really need to eat it? You should have it instead. You said you’re going to be busy from now on.”
“I’m still young. You should take them, Mom.”
Yeon-ju pushed the untouched box of Gongjindan all the way over to her mother.
Her daughter, who had supposedly gone out just to earn her keep, had returned with such a lavish gift. It was a present any parent would be proud of, but for some reason, Yeon-ju couldn’t bring herself to feel happy.
“I’d better hide this somewhere. What if a guest comes over, sees it, and asks for one? It’d be such a waste. What would I do then?”
What would happen if her mother found out that the lead actor—the one who made a fortune and gave such generous gifts—was the biological father of the grandson she doted on so fiercely?
What kind of face would her mother make if she knew this was a gift from the man who could have been her son-in-law, had they not tried to defy fate?
“Are you tired?”
“What? Oh, yes. A little.”
“Then go get some sleep. Don’t just sit there glued to your chair.”
“Okay. I’ll check on Han-byeol first.”
“Go on.”
Yeon-ju stepped into Han-byeol’s room. Her son, already fast asleep, looked like a perfect angel.
She sat on the edge of the bed, gazing down at him before gently lying down beside him and placing her hand on his small stomach.
As Han-byeol’s warmth seeped into her fingertips, a long sigh she had been holding back all day finally escaped. It was the end of an exceptionally long and exhausting day.
A moment to close the chapter on a grueling day she wished she could forget entirely.
“You know, Han-byeol… Mommy told a very big lie today.”
‘Are you married?’
‘Yes.’
Yeon-ju whispered, her voice barely audible. She needlessly stroked her son’s hair and adjusted his blanket, letting out one heavy sigh after another.
When the Chief had asked that question, the only thing on her mind was putting Eun-seong at ease.
In that moment, the truth didn’t matter. When it came to anything involving Han-byeol, she couldn’t leave even the slightest room for doubt.
If she had said Han-byeol was ten years old and had no father, Eun-seong wouldn’t have taken it lightly. Because of the time that had passed between them, the truth would have been a clue.
“Mommy always tells you that lying is bad, but I went and told a lie.”
She had drawn a sharp, cold line by inventing a husband who didn’t even exist.
It was better to be a woman who had fallen for another man right after their breakup than to leave things ambiguous and trouble Eun-seong’s mind.
“Mommy should have just run away this time, too. Right, Han-byeol?”
…Even without piling on lies, she knew everything would resolve itself if she just quit the job.
If she pooled her money with her mother’s, she could return the ten million won to Hae-young. It wasn’t impossible. She knew that if she returned the money with a plausible excuse, Hae-young was the type of person who would let her go.
But why? Why had she stood her ground? Why was she trying to endure this suffocating situation, ignoring the chance to turn back, even resorting to lies?
“Why is Mommy trying so hard to hold on, Han-byeol?”
Lost in thought, Yeon-ju squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again.
It had all happened over a decade ago. Because of their connection through Han-byeol, Eun-seong was incredibly special to her. But to him, wasn’t she just a faded memory from a long-forgotten story?
Hovering around him like this might only leave her with deeper wounds. She might end up getting hurt all on her own, curling up in pain from wounds he never intended to inflict. The wisest thing to do was to leave while she still could.
Before it was too late. Before it was far, far too late.
“Even Mommy… doesn’t know her own heart, Han-byeol…”
A soft groan escaped her lips as she realized she had no answer.
She wanted to leave, yet she wanted to be bound to him. She wanted to avoid him, yet she wanted to be entangled with him. The former depended entirely on her resolve, but perhaps she was more drawn to the latter precisely because it was impossible.
An exceptionally difficult and heavy day drew to a close. It felt like a daily experiment in just how miserable a person could be.
* * *
“Eun-seong, are preparations going well?”
They were given a two-day break after the first shoot.
From the lead actor’s perspective, it wasn’t truly a rest but a period to prepare for the next filming session.
Eun-seong, who was reading his script, furrowed his brow. Realizing he was deeply engrossed, Tae-gon winced and took a step back.
His manager, Dong-hwan, shook his head and gestured to Tae-gon, a silent signal that Eun-seong wasn’t in a good state.
Once filming began, an actor’s condition often fluctuated unpredictably. Deconstructing a character, interpreting them, and fully embodying them was an incredibly difficult task. An actor needed to stay sharp to catch every detail, so it was best to leave them alone when they were concentrating.
“Let’s talk next time. Keep up the good work, Eun-seong.”
Just as Tae-gon was about to slip out of the office, Eun-seong closed his script and looked up.
“Go ahead. I was about to take a break anyway.”
“Oh, really?”
Rubbing his hands together, Tae-gon sat on the sofa.
Though Tae-gon feared little in this world, Eun-seong was still difficult to handle, perhaps because they had started together from the very bottom.
The crucial fact was that while Eun-seong would have succeeded even without Tae-gon, Tae-gon’s success would have been impossible without Eun-seong.
Although Eun-seong had remained loyal to the agency, there was no telling when he might decide to leave. It was only natural for Tae-gon to walk on eggshells around him.
“It’s tough, right? The reaction to the first shoot was incredible. As expected.”
“Didn’t you have something to say?” Eun-seong asked, cutting off the empty praise.
Tae-gon rubbed his chin. “I heard Go Yeon-ju showed up on set.”
“Who?”
“Go Yeon-ju. Your ex-girlfriend.”
Eun-seong, who had been flipping through his script, looked up. When their eyes met, Tae-gon waved a hand, indicating it was no small matter.
“I know this industry is small, but seeing your ex on set is a bit much, don’t you think? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”
“And if it is?”
“I’ll have her moved. Filming is already stressful enough without having anything distracting you. Just say the word. I’ll get her out of your sight.”
I’ll get her out of your sight.
For some reason, the words felt like thorns pricking his back.
Eun-seong slowly closed and opened his eyes. His head had been throbbing all day from thinking about Yeon-ju, and now Tae-gon had shown up as if to scratch an itch.
Yet, strangely, the spot Tae-gon scratched didn’t feel relieved. It stung, as if he’d poked an open wound.
“They say she’s one of Director Jin’s people. If you say you’re uncomfortable, replacing her is a piece of cake. Swapping out a single rookie is nothing. But only if you say the word.”
Tae-gon subtly nudged him, implying that the issue could only be resolved if the word “uncomfortable” came directly from Eun-seong’s mouth.
Eun-seong set his script on the table. “Just leave her be. It doesn’t bother me.”
“Oh, r-really? It doesn’t?”
“That was years ago. Do I look like I have time to care about every trivial relationship from my past?”
“Well, no, but still… it’s not like you two are on good terms. And we don’t know if Go Yeon-ju is approaching you with some kind of scheme…”
Eun-seong looked up at Tae-gon, his eyes cold and flat. Trailing off, Tae-gon cleared his throat and waved his hand dismissively.
After a brief flash of displeasure, Eun-seong regained his composure and tapped a finger on the table.
“She’s married, has a kid, and is living her own life. Now she’s just trying to get back to her career. Is there really any need to crush her?”
“Go Yeon-ju got married? And had a kid? How did you know that?”
“I overheard it by chance. I heard her talking to the makeup chief.”
“Ah, I see.”
Tae-gon took a step back, his guard lowering slightly at the news.
“Still, Eun-seong, you never know with people. A top star like you has to be extremely careful about who you let into your circle.”
“It’s not like I can only work with people I like. Leave her alone. I don’t care.”
“…”
“I said, don’t worry about it.”
When Eun-seong repeated himself for emphasis, Tae-gon stood up. If Eun-seong insisted, there was nothing more he could do.
“Well, I suppose if we kick her out for no good reason, she might go on social media and accuse us of power tripping or something. That would be an even bigger headache. Alright then. Keep up the good work.”
Tae-gon left the office. Patting the shoulder of Dong-hwan, who was seeing him out, he instructed, “Keep a close eye on Eun-seong. If you see even the slightest hint of a suspicious relationship, report it to me immediately.”
“Yes, CEO. Have a safe trip back!”
Tae-gon tightened his tie and stepped into the elevator.
* * *
The Start of Maddening Days
The day of the shoot dawned.
“Actor Im Eun-seong has arrived!”
Dong-hwan bellowed the announcement like a Joseon Dynasty servant clearing the way for a noble, prompting the staff in the dressing room to stand up.
Following behind Dong-hwan, Eun-seong furrowed his brow. No matter how many times he told him to stop, his manager just wouldn’t quit.
“Can you please not do that? Is that habit really impossible to break?”
“Sorry, Hyung. The CEO ordered me to do it, so I don’t have a choice.”
“Don’t you think I, standing right in front of you, should be scarier than a CEO you can’t even see?”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Still nagging Dong-hwan, Eun-seong stepped inside. The staff members began greeting him one by one.
Returning their greetings, Eun-seong walked right past Yeon-ju, who was squeezed in among them, completely ignoring her bow.
“Shall we get started on your makeup right away?” the makeup chief asked as she approached.
Eun-seong nodded.
As he took off his jacket, Yeon-ju rushed over to take it. Their fingertips accidentally brushed, and Eun-seong whipped his head around, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Ah, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
As a flustered Yeon-ju apologized loudly, Eun-seong swallowed hard. If you apologize like that in front of everyone, what does that make me look like?
He forced a calm smile. Though his eyebrow twitched, he managed to keep it under control.
“It’s fine. I should be the one apologizing. Thank you for taking my jacket.”
When he responded in a sweet tone he had to drag up from the depths of his soul, Yeon-ju fidgeted with her fingers. Then, to his disbelief, she turned around and wiped her hands on her pants.
Is… is she saying my hand is dirty? Does she hate brushing against me that much?
“We’ll start the makeup now. Please come this way, Eun-seong.”
“Sure.”
Refusing to lose, Eun-seong pointedly wiped his own hand on his pants. Catching Yeon-ju’s eye for a split second, he rubbed his hand even harder, as if to make a point.
At that, Yeon-ju shrank back, a tentative look on her face. Startled by her reaction, Eun-seong clenched his hand into a fist.
Regret washed over him instantly. He knew how grueling a rookie’s job was. He hadn’t wanted her to suffer the glare of a top actor; he had wanted to show some magnanimity.
I want to keep her close…
“Um, excuse me, is there any hand sanitizer here?”
“Huh? Hand sanitizer? Oh, it’s right over there, Yeon-ju.”
“Thank you.”
No. I want her gone…
Eun-seong let out a dry sigh and followed the staff into the dressing room. Looking for hand sanitizer just because our fingertips brushed? I can only imagine what she’d do if she touched my bare chest.
Yeon-ju had only sanitized her hands because she’d been handling old, peeling metal buttons, but Eun-seong, having no way of knowing this, added it to her list of offenses.
“Magnanimous, my ass.”
“Pardon?”
“Nothing. Please start.”
“Okay, Eun-seong.”
Eun-seong sat in the chair, his expression completely stiff.
Every time he caught a glimpse of Yeon-ju in the mirror, the knot of discomfort in his chest twisted tighter.