Chapter 17
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 17
While Hae-young and Han-byeol were finalizing the contract, Eun-seong rose to his feet.
He’d said he only came to see the face of the boy playing his son, and true to his word, he was leaving now that he had.
"I'm leaving."
"Already? Well, you are busy. Good work, and see you on shoot day!"
As the director waved goodbye, Eun-seong left the room. After a brief hesitation, Yeon-ju followed him out.
The official, who had been passionately negotiating the contract terms with Hae-young, only looked back at Han-byeol once they reached the final details.
"Alright, let's wrap this up and stamp the contract. Your name is Han-byeol, right?"
"Pardon? Yes."
"You should count yourself incredibly lucky. You don't meet a director like him every day."
"The director is the lucky one. He got to meet me."
"Ha."
What a gutsy kid. The official let out an involuntary sigh, while Director Park burst into a hearty laugh. Where on earth did a kid like this come from? His mother seemed so gentle, no matter how you looked at her.
Did he take after his father?
"Right. I like your confidence. Work hard on your acting and help this mister hit the box office jackpot. By the way, an actor needs to know how to control their expressions first. Are you good at crying?"
The words were barely out of his mouth when Han-byeol's eyes began to turn red. Within three or four seconds, tears pooled in his eyes, and even his earlobes flushed. Only then did Director Park's mouth hang slightly open.
The boy shed a few large, thick tears before wiping them away as if nothing had happened, his expression returning to perfect calm.
"You mean something like this? I can do it."
"Ha. Haha! This kid is something else. Hahaha!"
As Han-byeol casually sipped his juice box through a straw, Director Park slapped his knee and roared with laughter. Hae-young's eyes widened in surprise, and the official clapped, signaling that they were good to go.
For a child actor cast so suddenly, it was a fantastic start.
* * *
"Excuse me! Excuse me, please!"
Walking down the hallway, Eun-seong turned around. Seeing Yeon-ju running toward him, he slipped on his sunglasses.
'Excuse me'? Did she just call me 'excuse me'?
"Just use my name. What's with the 'excuse me'?"
"Ah, yes. Mr. Im. I wanted to say something. Thank you for giving your permission."
As Yeon-ju stopped in front of him and bowed abruptly, Eun-seong's brow twitched. Standing with her hands clasped politely, she showed none of the venom or stubbornness from the day before.
"Thank you. For making a positive decision."
"Well, I didn't do it for your thanks. It's not my place to interfere with the director's casting. I'm not that kind of person."
"I know. Still, thank you."
After treating him like a ghost and never meeting his gaze while they worked together, Yeon-ju was now looking straight at him.
Feeling strangely glad that he had put on his sunglasses, Eun-seong cleared his throat.
"Well, I decided to look at it positively. I suppose you couldn't pass up the chance to act alongside a great actor like me. I'd feel the same way, so I understand."
"Yes."
"Keep this in mind. I will give your son absolutely no special treatment. I detest unprepared people, whether they're children or adults. If you don't want him crying his eyes out on set, tell him to analyze his character perfectly."
"Understood. I'll make sure he's well-prepared."
When Yeon-ju simply nodded in agreement, Eun-seong's expression soured.
Why is she being so compliant? Does she think she finally got what she wanted?
"I'm truly grateful. I know how awkward this must be for you. Thank you once again for being so considerate—"
"You and I, that's all in the past."
"..."
"So, while I might be nothing more than a passing mannequin to you, that's not how I feel."
Eun-seong adjusted his sunglasses. Staring into her clear, unblemished eyes, he figured continuing the conversation would only put him at a disadvantage, so he gave a small wave of his hand.
"I couldn't exactly play the villain and get your son rejected. In any case, I can't let our past become some cheap, third-rate melodrama. We'll just have to see how this goes."
"..."
"I've never been a parent, so I wouldn't know, but I suppose it's right to live protecting one's dreams. But this industry is dirty and petty, and it doesn't care if you're a kid or an adult, so make sure your son doesn't get hurt. Plenty of people chase their dreams only to leave completely broken. I'm off."
After a moment's hesitation, instead of turning back for the elevator, Eun-seong took the stairs right beside him. Yeon-ju stood still, listening to the sound of his footsteps fading away.
After standing there for a long time, she leaned against the railing and slowly closed her eyes.
'While I might be nothing more than a passing mannequin to you, that's not how I feel.'
Acceptance is harder than denial.
Last night, it felt as though he had finally managed that difficult task.
'In any case, I can't let our past become some cheap, third-rate melodrama. We'll just have to see how this goes.'
She sensed his determination not to tarnish a past that had long since settled, and she thought she understood the reasoning that led him to accept this.
She was a piece of the past, firmly attached to him. A fixed past that could not be detached, but could be lived with as if it weren't there.
A tiny fragment of memory that, unless deliberately shaken, no one would even know was stuck there.
"How could you be a mannequin? There's no way you look like that to me..."
Sighing, Yeon-ju ran a hand through her hair and looked back toward the office. She had to go back. Realizing she had left Han-byeol alone for too long, she hurried down the hallway.
By the time she returned, the contract had been neatly finalized, and Han-byeol had officially become a child actor under Chang-rok Entertainment.
* * *
Even on days without filming, the costume team remained busy. Market research and continuous meetings were essential to secure the best costumes.
With prominent staff members like Hae-young at the helm, followed by the second and third assistants, there was no need for Yeon-ju to voice her opinions. Still, she was busier than anyone and always on the move.
Around seven in the evening, she stopped by Namdaemun to pick up some fabrics she had ordered.
After collecting the leather from a small workshop that specialized in manufacturing costumes for filming, Yeon-ju dozed off on the bus home.
Narrowly avoiding the disaster of missing her stop, she got off. The leather was incredibly heavy for its size, and she hurried home, lugging the heavy load.
Her house was just past the market and through the park, on a path that took her right by Iroun Animal Hospital.
"I should go say hello to the doctor."
Yeon-ju muttered as she passed by.
Every time she walked past, it was closed, making it awkward to drop in. Her commute was always either too early or too late to match the hospital's operating hours.
Even when closed, a phone number was posted on the door, asking people to call in case of emergencies. Yeon-ju stared at the number, hesitating for a moment.
She wanted to express her gratitude, but it wasn't the kind of matter that warranted calling the doctor back after he had already closed up and gone home.
"I'll have to try and time it right."
After glancing at the dark hospital sign, she resumed her walk. Just as she neared the park that served as a shortcut to her house, Yeon-ju froze in her tracks.
"Doctor?"
Seeing a man lying flat under a truck, Yeon-ju stopped and took a closer look.
The sight of a perfectly healthy man plastered to the asphalt like a piece of chewed gum was certainly suspicious, but upon closer inspection, it was none other than the director of the animal hospital.
"Doctor, what are you doing here—"
"Shh!"
When Yeon-ju approached, Dr. Ju pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet.
As Yeon-ju reflexively clamped her mouth shut with a puzzled expression, Dr. Ju reached out without hesitation.
"I need you to look behind there for me."
"Pardon? Look at what?"
"There's an injured cat here. We need to rescue it, so hurry."
"Ah, yes. Where should I go?"
Yeon-ju set her heavy bags down and moved as if possessed, following Dr. Ju's gestures. Following his hand signals to go behind the wheel and lie down, she flattened herself against the ground.
Wondering where on earth the cat was, she searched for a moment before spotting it facing off against Dr. Ju. She didn't know about its injury, but it was incredibly cute.
"If I reach out, it might bolt. Can you catch it?"
"Me? The cat? I-I'll try."
Feeling the weight of this sudden responsibility, Yeon-ju spread her arms wide. Just as she was wondering if she could actually catch a cat in such an awkward posture, Dr. Ju finally extended his arm.
Sure enough, the cat bolted outward.
"Catch it!"
"Aaaah!"
Startled, Yeon-ju flailed her arms wildly.
But there was no way the cat would be caught so easily; it leaped right over her flailing form with ease and escaped.
As it slipped under another car, Dr. Ju dashed after it like lightning. Leaving her bags behind, Yeon-ju blindly ran after him.
How long did they spend chasing the cat, the feline darting here and there while Dr. Ju and Yeon-ju flailed about like fools?
"Gotcha, you little rascal."
"Wow, you caught it!"
Dr. Ju had finally caught the cat. It was a success after thirty minutes of struggle.
As Dr. Ju held the cat in both hands and let out a deep sigh, a smile spread across Yeon-ju's face.
"Where is it hurt?"
"Its hind leg. It's been limping for a few days, so I need to examine it."
"Ah, but it runs so well."
"It thinks it's in big trouble if it gets caught, so it's running despite the pain. I need to treat it quickly."
Dr. Ju, who had been entirely focused on the cat, shook his head a couple of times as if coming back to reality and looked at Yeon-ju.
Smiling brightly as if only just recognizing her, he spoke.
"Oh, it's Ms. Go Yeon-ju."
"Yes, Doctor. You know my name."
"I saw it on your pass last time. Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to catch this little guy."
Since she had been of absolutely no help and had merely tagged along, Yeon-ju looked embarrassed by the excessive praise.
The cat, still oblivious to what was happening, let out a series of plaintive meows. Dr. Ju, his face dripping with sweat, lifted his chin.
"I should head to the clinic first. Could you help me open the door?"
"Yes, Doctor."
The lights of the animal hospital flickered back on.
* * *
After finishing the emergency treatment for the cat, Dr. Ju brought out two cups of tea. Yeon-ju, who had been sitting in the consultation room chair looking at the photos on the wall, welcomed the drink.
"There's no coffee in the clinic. I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine. I drink so much of it that I'm trying to cut back anyway."
"If you look around, there are quite a few decent decaffeinated teas. I can recommend some to you."
"Yes, thank you."
Placing their mugs side by side, Dr. Ju and Yeon-ju sat facing each other.
Taking a sip of his tea, Dr. Ju frowned as he noticed Yeon-ju's dirty clothes.
"Ah, your clothes got dirty because of me, Ms. Go."
"This? It's fine. I can just wash it."
"I'm sorry. I'll pay for the dry cleaning."
"No, to be honest, it felt quite rewarding. Even though I wasn't the one who actually rescued the cat."
As Yeon-ju smiled gently, Dr. Ju wore an apologetic expression. To change the subject, Yeon-ju asked a question.
"It seems you rescue animals quite often. There are so many photos."
"I can't just turn a blind eye when I see them."
"You're doing wonderful work."
"I'm just doing my job. I became a veterinarian because I wanted to do this kind of work."
He was truly a good person. Even without exchanging many words, Dr. Ju's honest expression spoke volumes.
It warmed her heart to know there was such a kind person in the neighborhood. Yeon-ju took a sip of her tea, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"By the way, is Han-byeol going to be in the movie?"
"Pardon? Our Han-byeol? How did you know about that?"
"An older friend of mine works there. He's the props director."
"Ah, right. That makes sense. Yes, we somehow managed to sign the contract, and my mind is all over the place."
As Yeon-ju nodded, Dr. Ju congratulated her, saying it was wonderful news.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Yeon-ju closed her eyes slightly as she laughed, prompting Dr. Ju to take a deep breath.
He hadn't even had any coffee today, yet his heart was fluttering again.
"Oh, right. I might run into you and Han-byeol on set from time to time as well."
"Pardon? On set?"
At Dr. Ju's unexpected words, Yeon-ju's eyes widened. Dr. Ju, looking immensely proud, gave a slight wag of his finger.
"I'll be working on the set as well. As a trainer."