Time, Fly By – Reply 1988 Dreams
"Time, hurry up and fly by. Reply 1988, the third series."
Even though previous installments had already guaranteed a certain level of box-office success, there was one regrettable point for Joo Myeonghwan, the CP.
'Hmm.'
'I want to hit an average rating of 20% just once.'
If a cable TV drama pulled off an average viewership rating of 20%, the ripple effect would be unimaginable.
'If that happens for real...'
Just picturing it brought a smile to his lips right now. And to make that dream come true, Kim Donghu felt absolutely essential.
"We must, must get Kim Donghu!"
He emphasized the casting once more. But reality came at him differently.
"...We have to hold auditions, right? That was the plan from the start."
At PD Shin Seonho's words, Joo Myeonghwan snapped out of his daydreams.
"You're right."
Because he wanted success more desperately than anyone, he hoped the actors would bring passion to their work too. And auditions were the way to confirm that.
Actors who refused auditions were off the table from the beginning. There was no such thing as confirmed casting in Reply. That was proof of how much they wanted the project to succeed.
"But whenever he films a drama, it hits 30%, and his recent One Bite even reached 40%."
"Still, Writer Jeong wants auditions more strongly than anyone!"
"Argh! Yeah, that's right! So frustrating!"
"We haven't even gotten the script yet. It's too early to lock in casting."
"Hmm, can't argue with that."
But if, just if, Kim Donghu got cut from auditions due to acting or role issues...
'No, what if he doesn't even show up for them?'
No way that would happen, right? A tiny anxiety began to creep into Joo Myeonghwan's heart.
Honestly, Kim Donghu was the one with nothing to lose.
'Isn't he doing too well?'
Kim Donghu's momentum was off the charts right now. Listing his achievements would tire out his mouth. It was hard to believe he was only seventeen.
"I get where you're coming from, but filming doesn't start until the year after next."
Joo Myeonghwan smacked his lips at PD Shin Seonho's words.
True enough. In fact, that's exactly why they could consider Kim Donghu for casting. By then, he'd be nineteen, the closest to adulthood, and restrictions on his activities would start easing.
'Time, hurry up and fly.'
To make that happen, Joo Myeonghwan suppressed his desires tightly.
++++++
Contrary to Joo Myeonghwan's wish for time to speed up, there was one person for whom time was crawling unbearably slowly right now.
"Euuugh."
It was Kim Donghu's little sister, Kim Seohyun, uttering words no one could decipher.
Seohyun's world was truly, incredibly simple.
"Seohyun, did you have a good day today too?"
"Uhhee."
1. Someone comes along—doesn't matter who, but their face makes her smile just by looking.
2. She smiles at that face a few times, and sleepiness comes naturally.
3. She sleeps deeply, wakes up, and waits for the person whose face makes her smile again.
That was Kim Seohyun's 24 hours, patterned in its own refined way. Watching her, her parents Kim Jangryeol and Lee Yuhyun shared one worry.
"...Hmm."
"It's weird to worry about this already, but our daughter's standards are getting too high."
Nod.
Kim Jangryeol nodded gravely in agreement.
Growing up seeing her brother's impossibly handsome face since she was little...
'Plus the big age gap makes him feel more like an uncle or a second dad.'
No fights, and with Donghu's personality, he'd dote on his sister endlessly. Her standards couldn't help but skyrocket, whether she wanted it or not.
And besides...
"Not just saying this because she's our girl, but isn't she way too pretty?"
"We've got some serious good fortune with kids."
Even as a newborn, Kim Seohyun's looks were visibly adorable. Big eyes, perfectly upturned nose—not a single flaw. If you had to compare, she was like the female version of Kim Donghu. You could already guess how stunning she'd become.
"Once she's recovered a bit, we should take her out to see more faces."
Nod.
Kim Jangryeol nodded vigorously again. From newborn days seeing only her brother's face, when she finally glimpsed the world... How shocked she'd be to learn other looks existed besides Kim Donghu's.
Of course, this was the overactive imagination of parents with a baby. But with their son's exceptional looks, the concern arose naturally.
Others might scold them for first-world problems.
"Hmm, we can't let our son's face become her standard for looks."
"Worrying that seeing only the best might cause issues..."
It felt serious to them as parents. The silver lining? Their son was living independently now, delaying the time Seohyun got used to his face.
'If she gets too accustomed to his face, we're in trouble.'
'We have to prevent that.'
Getting used to that face? Unthinkable. A face praised as one-of-a-kind in the world, maybe forever. "Adapting" to it? Worst case, her standards could get so absurd she'd see everyone as squid-like!
The Kim Donghu causing his parents this dilemma was currently...
"...Why are you here?"
"Huh? I live here."
"You live here? Next door to me?"
"We're in the same grade, same department."
What does that have to do with living next door? Staring blankly at Ryu Jaerin, who'd just moved in next door.
++++++
How did Ryu Jaerin end up moving next door to Kim Donghu? Simpler than you'd think.
Ask casually, find out the next door was vacant, sign the contract—done. This worked because Ryu Jaerin was house-hunting anyway, as a student. Even with girl group dorm life, she couldn't commute to school from there every day; she needed a place nearby. Plus, it was for her grandma's convenience in the neighborhood.
Her agency's willingness to invest stemmed from Ryu Jaerin's absurd upward trajectory. Unrivaled popularity at music shows and fanmeets, plus dominating every variety show lately.
"...So that's why I moved next door. You hate it?"
Ryu Jaerin explained her situation, glancing up cautiously at Kim Donghu. The perfect angle she'd researched endlessly.
Kim Donghu looked down at her face and answered plainly.
"Huh? No, just caught me off guard. What's to hate about you moving in?"
"Right? And talking at the door's awkward—better inside, no?"
"Uh? Yeah, sure."
"Then wanna eat dinner with me and Grandma?"
Introducing family—doesn't that mean we're close? Ryu Jaerin mustered courage with happy fantasies. But Kim Donghu...
"Huh?! Yeah, sure!"
Focused purely on finally eating Ryu Jaerin's grandma's home cooking again. Back when he was six, in kindergarten with her— he still remembered that picnic kimbap.
And...
'Was wondering how she's doing—perfect timing.'
Hard to ask about others' family outright. Seizing the chance to check multiple boxes, Kim Donghu stepped into Ryu Jaerin's place and immediately...
"So, Donghu, when are you marrying our Jaerin?"
"Ah, Grandma!"
...took a direct hit.
++++++
Not to brag, but I was very used to situations like this. Ever since I was little, any time I met a female friend's parents, that's how they'd react.
But this time was different.
"I have to see Jaerin get married before I die..."
"Ah... uh... well."
"Just kidding, you punk! Can't even move after one word, huh? Heh heh heh!"
Elderly black comedy only they could pull off. And I was completely thrown off.
'Who jokes that seriously, Grandma?'
Long time no see, but she felt as familiar as yesterday. Probably her personality shining through.
"Come on, Grandma, don't tease. Anyway, it'll happen eventually..."
"Eventually?"
"...You never know?"
Jaerin artfully added and retracted, masterful. All that variety TV experience—deadpan delivery was art.
'But for casual talk, she seems awfully confident.'
What was she aiming for? As I pondered...
"Anyway, you here to eat? Starving?"
"Pardon? Oh... yeah, theater class today has me famished."
"Really? Super hungry?"
"Uh, yes."
A bad feeling hit—like I'd taken the bait.
"Wait, Grandma! I, uh, don't eat that much...!"
"Gotta empty the fridge today."
And that foreboding became reality.