Is That Guy a Total Cheat?
Is that guy a total cheat character or what?
Even after gaining the awareness to recognize emotions, Kim Donghu woke up the next day as if nothing had happened. In a way, maybe this was the more natural response. His body was definitely at that age where puberty was in full swing. But his mind was that of an adult, so it wasn't swayed by fleeting feelings. And besides...
'I still don't quite get it.'
His tragic past life grabbed him by the ankle once more in this regard. Back in those days when he'd lost everything before even knowing his parents' love. The memory of that time, when he'd just given a light smile at the saying "If you're ugly, at least have a good personality"—that wasn't something a single flip of the "romance mode" switch could resolve.
The moment he'd hesitated over turning it on or off even felt ridiculous now. Kim Donghu switched romance mode on decisively. Not for some deeper relationship with Kim Sujin. Purely, honestly, because "it'll help with my acting."
There was one more secret hidden here. Kim Donghu didn't really have a specific type. He had no preferred looks; what mattered most to him was emotional connection. It had to be that way. After all the treatment he'd received in his past life based on his appearance.
Was he supposed to start ranking people by looks just because he'd woken up handsome one day? 'What a joke.'
He didn't want that kind of shameless life. He wouldn't force it on others, but he vowed at least for himself: no prejudices or biases based on looks.
'Sure, being handsome is great.' But that didn't mean he'd wield it like a weapon. Because doing so would be denying "the me from my past life." The me who'd fought with everything to overcome my looks—he didn't want to erase that.
So that thrilling moment of his heart racing had ended up as just a brief hiccup. Of course, it hadn't vanished completely. Someday. When Kim Donghu was fully ready to receive love. It was biding its time, waiting to clutch his heart with that electric thrill once more.
That's why, unlike Kim Sujin, whose heart pounded just looking at him...
"Sujin, you okay? Your cheeks are super red."
Kim Donghu treated her exactly the same as always. With an adult who'd weathered life's storms inside him, the brief shock settled quickly into a mindset of 'eh, it's just the script anyway.'
Stories of actors falling in love while filming romances? That was still a distant, treacherous road for Kim Donghu.
Of course...
"...N-no, I'm fine. It's just a bit chilly, that's all."
Even that normalcy was poison to Kim Sujin.
"Set's all ready!"
As the two of them sat there with their hearts racing at opposite extremes, filming preparations wrapped up.
"Don't you have to go first?"
"Yeah, see you later, Sujin."
"Y-yeah, see you..."
With heartbeats running the full gamut, shooting began.
+++++
'Definitely different.'
writer Yeo Sujung watched Kim Donghu's performance and let out a gasp of admiration. Hearing all the "he's so good" praise around her hadn't quite clicked before. But the moment she saw it herself, she got why everyone raved.
'We're filming for a good while, but if he's already this good, everyone's gonna feel the pressure.'
The rumor that filming with Kim Donghu brought tension to the set—she'd thought it was a joke. But watching now, it hit her immediately. Like animals scrambling for survival under a rampaging tiger. The other actors felt threatened by his acting and prepared even harder.
'Ugh, so sweet.'
Kim Donghu trying to hop the fence to skip school, and Kim Sujin accidentally witnessing it—their first encounter. Like a powerful first impression, the two kept getting tangled up. They didn't even know each other's identities properly, but they kept crossing paths. And the reason boiled down to one extreme cause.
'Looks, obviously.'
Handsome and pretty is the best, it's thrilling, never gets old. Yeo Sujung muttered inwardly as she seriously evaluated Kim Donghu and Kim Sujin's combined visuals.
'Donghu first...' No need to say it. Bottomless facial genius. If there were awards just for looks, he'd sweep them all. She'd seen plenty of celebs, but never anyone handsomer than Kim Donghu.
'Then Sujin...'
Brown tube queen Kim Yuryeon's daughter, Kim Sujin. She'd clearly inherited those genes—there was an undeniable elegance she couldn't hide. Traditional Korean beauty, maybe? A glimpse of refinement, with a serious actor's depth and presence. And in hanbok? The visual buff was insane. Made you wonder if any child actor was prettier. In that hanbok moment, Kim Sujin was in a league of her own.
'They've known each other since they were kids, right?'
Since daycare, with their parents close too—basically childhood sweethearts. And now filming a romance together for at least 60 days? Could no feelings possibly spark?
'Am I about to bridge the magpie over the fairy tale path?'
Yeo Sujung wasn't the only one thinking it. Most on set harbored the same notion. After all, they'd seen celebs hook up in situations like this more than once or twice.
If it really happened... 'Child actor star couple first?'
But how unfounded that hope was became clear soon enough.
"How dare you wander the palace grounds freely."
"Then who are you, young master, to speak to me so rudely?"
Kim Donghu and Kim Sujin locked eyes intensely in the scene. Love hadn't blossomed yet, so affection in their gazes was premature.
But...
'Hm?'
Kim Sujin's pupils trembled faintly—visibly so. Like she could barely meet his eyes but forced herself, the resolve of a girl overcoming shyness. If it was perfect acting for "love at first sight," fine. But if not...
'...Nah, playing around with this is ridiculous. We're adults.'
Yeo Sujung quickly dismissed the thoughts. Jokes taken too far turn violent.
And her hunch was spot on.
"Cut! Good, all good, but Sujin—dial back the emotion in your eyes a bit."
"Yes, Director."
Kim Sujin, called out on the detail. She was pouring everything into calming her heart right now. If she hadn't trained in acting since childhood...
'I might've just hugged him and kissed him outright.'
Acting out fated lovers with her first crush as the co-star. Was there a crueler fate? Kim Sujin prayed her heart would hold out.
++++++
Time flew to October. Geomgeom Baek Dongsu was nearing its finale.
-Zuhahaha! Think breaking 30% is easy? It's not like you hit it once and done!
"...No need for the bravado. You sound like a scared dog barking."
Te Dooseon furrowed his brow at the cherry pie chunk next door's booming laugh. Geomgeom Baek Dongsu hadn't topped 30% even once. Sadly, it hadn't truly claimed the Mon-Tue slot throne.
-I get it, Mon-Tue isn't a walk in the park! 30% on weekdays is tough!
"Loser's logic. Hanging up."
Click.
SKS Drama Director Te Dooseon rubbed his dry face repeatedly.
'Can't call Kim Donghu back now.'
How do you summon a past child actor? And even if you could...
'Where to fit him in?'
He knew there was no answer. Knew the cast was giving their all. But you can't beat the real deal.
Meanwhile at KBC, Drama Director Kim Cheol-do was roaring with laughter.
"We're the kings of Mon-Tue! Zuhahaha!"
"Exactly."
Kim Youngmo PD took it lightly.
'He's thrilled.'
Made sense. The guy sang praises nonstop about working with Kim Donghu again. How adorable must the kid who shattered the 30% barrier look right now?
His amused smile faded as he checked KakaoTalk and jolted.
"Wha—?! R-really?!"
So shocked he blurted it out loud.
Kim Cheol-do stopped laughing. "What? What's up?"
"Challenge Golden Bell."
"Huh? So what?"
Challenge! Golden Bell. A quiz show for high schools, popular for open applications regardless of grade or region.
"Last time we met for the meeting, you mentioned a special on middle school prodigies or something?"
"Yeah, yeah. So? What's your point?"
"Kim Donghu's in it."
"What? Why's he on that out of nowhere?"
Kim Cheol-do couldn't process it. Kim Youngmo looked equally baffled.
"Well... it's like picking the top student from middle school via Golden Bell, and he's included."
"...Kim Donghu's smart too?"
"Guess so."
Is that guy a total cheat character? Kim Cheol-do swallowed the words.