The White Deer Legend
Yeah, you mean the lake at the top of Mt. Halla on Jeju Island, right?
There are all kinds of legends tied to Baengnokdam, but one of them goes like this: a long, long time ago, there was a devoted son who cared for his ailing elderly mother.
When he heard that feeding her deer's blood would cure her illness, he spent years wandering Mt. Halla in search of one.
At last he spotted a single white deer, but the moment he drew back his bow to fire, a thick fog swallowed everything around him.
The white deer vanished in an instant, and all that remained where it had stood was a pond.
The son gave up chasing the white deer, scooped up water from the pond, and brought it to his mother — and her illness vanished as if it had never existed at all.
From then on, the story goes, people called that pond Baengnokdam — the White Deer Lake.
Why am I suddenly telling you all this?
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Because yesterday, I became that devoted son.
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Ahh… yes….
Yesterday, we came face to face with the reincarnation of the White Deer …
This was only possible because we all served Bambi-nim with hearts overflowing with filial devotion.
Let everyone approach yesterday's broadcast as a sacred rite of worship!^^
Every single one of them seems to be out of their mind.
It blew up on Silte and the news, so yeah, I saw the photos too.
Instantly understood. Yeah. Now I get why people keep going on about Lee Yeonjae.
But then I checked the fan cafe, and they're over there fooling around like this:
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When it gets to this level it's honestly a little scary lmaooo
"Our Yeonjae really pulled a stunt this time, huh?"
A low voice drifted over, laced with a mischievous chuckle. Jung Hyun, who had been all but vibrating with the urge to tease, looked so delighted that all I could manage was a helpless laugh. Could anyone actually enjoy himself that much?
"Yes. Live broadcasts really aren't for just anyone, are they."
"Haha! But you looked great, though. Look at this. I screenshotted it the second I saw it."
My head hyung pulled out his phone and showed me the screen.
On it was a photo of me glaring straight into the camera, brow furrowed.
"Why are you keeping that? Delete it."
"Nope. It's mine now."
I shook my head at the hyung grinning ear to ear, all playful mischief. Whatever. It's fine.
It was already too late, anyway. What good would deleting one photo do when news of my dyed hair had already spread all over the internet?
"Still, Team Leader Woo didn't chew you out, did she?"
"No. She didn't really say much."
I answered flatly as the hyung ruffled my hair.
She didn't scold me, that is. All I got was a request to give the company advance notice before doing any more sudden live broadcasts in the future.
A much milder reaction than I'd braced myself for.
"The response has been this good, so it all worked out for the best."
"I suppose so."
Since my own two hands had unleashed a massive spoiler, I'd called the production staff to apologize for the trouble I'd caused. But they'd reacted the same way as everyone else — just laughing and telling me it was fine.
The mood still seems okay, at least.
I'd half wondered whether they were simply cutting a kid some slack, but when I arrived on set, the atmosphere genuinely wasn't bad at all. I apologized once more just in case, and again all I got back was that I shouldn't worry about it.
"Thanks to you, the articles exploded. If the show's this hot before it's even aired, that's a good thing, honestly."
The hyung went on in an easy, unhurried tone, smiling.
"Studios drop deliberate articles a few days before airing all the time. They were probably planning to do it this time too. The timing came a little early, sure, but the reaction's been so strong you really don't need to sweat it."
"Yes. Thank you for saying that."
"Who'd say anything about a face this pretty? Even right now, everyone's got their eyes glued to your hair."
I just laughed awkwardly as his fingers toyed with the ends of my hair.
The stares had certainly felt sharper today than usual.
Still, at least I don't have to wear the wig anymore.
Now that the secret was out, what would be the point of hiding it? I'd come in with my bare head.
As luck would have it, today's shoot was a scene packed with extra actors, so unfamiliar faces crowded all around me.
Well… at least I didn't hurt anyone, so that's what matters.
It had all worked out in a roundabout way, but everything I'd set out to do, I'd done.
I'd let Biyeon know about the dye job, and I'd even tried my hand at a live broadcast for the first time. I had enough sense to know when to hold back, though — I'd keep my mouth shut for a few days, then bring it up with Team Leader Woo.
"Yeonjae-yah. Want to take a few selfies before we start filming?"
"Sure. You're going to keep them, hyung?"
I'd heard the question often enough that I answered without thinking, but the hyung shook his head, his crinkled eyes brimming with amusement.
"Nope~. Your fans keep leaving comments on my posts. Asking me to take proper photos and post them."
"To you, hyung?"
Why were Biyeon flocking to Jung Hyun-hyung of all people?
……Not me?
A strange feeling made my brow twitch for a split second before I smoothed it away.
"Sure, let's do it. But hyung, is it okay if I'm the one who posts the pictures?"
"Of course it is~. Come on, look here — aigoo, so pretty."
The hyung took the photos with practiced ease.
The angles looked exactly like I'd held the camera up and shot them myself.
He really is good at taking photos.
I'd only learned recently that Biyeon wanted selfies from me. I'd given it a few tries, but they all came out so awkward that I'd given up halfway through.
If I'd known they'd just go ask Jung Hyun-hyung, I'd have kept at it.
Practice when I get home.
Nothing was impossible. Keep at it long enough, and it'd come naturally.
I just had to practice until I could shoot them as effortlessly as the hyung did, and show my fans the results.
"Just sent them. They came out amazing."
"They did. Thank you for taking them."
After thanking the hyung a few more times, I went straight into the fan cafe. As I selected several photos and tapped out my post one letter at a time, Jung Hyun-hyung fiddled with my hair.
"Yeonjae-yah. Are you going to dye it back to black as soon as filming wraps?"
"Hmm. Haven't thought about it."
"Since it's already bleached, how about trying another color? I think pink would suit you too."
Why would I? I thought, but I told him I'd consider it. Posting the photos was more urgent.
A few minutes later, I confirmed the post had gone up without a hitch and let out a sigh.
"Whew. All posted."
"Nice. Seems like it's taking you less and less time to write these."
"Does it?"
"Yeah. It does."
The hyung kept smiling like something about all this satisfied him deeply.
I didn't quite understand why he kept calling it a relief, but I smiled back at him all the same.
"Standby in five~! Everyone get ready, please!"
The peaceful atmosphere was broken by a staff member's call for the shoot to begin.
"Ah, guess I'd better get going."
Shame. It was nice while it lasted.
Let's do well today, too.
Today especially, I had to do well — it was my first scene with Jung Hyun-hyung in a long while.
I checked my blocking carefully and took my mark. The hyung, already in his lab coat, smiled when he saw me.
"This is the first time we've filmed together since Ggokkeokkuri, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Completely different characters from back then, but I look forward to working with you."
That same gentle face curved into a soft smile once more, and I answered quietly in kind.
"I look forward to it as well."
At my whisper, the man across from me smiled without a word.
…….
If it weren't for this person, I wouldn't even be standing here.
I wouldn't be framed between these cameras, I never would have done something like this to my hair, and I never would have met someone like Jinbae-hyung.
And there'd be no Biyeon, either.
Amid the clatter and noise of the busy staff, I quietly gazed at Jung Hyun-hyung.
The man who changed my life.
The reason I could breathe here and now was the Fog — but the reason I kept acting at all was Jung Hyun-hyung.
And today, I would become someone else and be captured inside the lens alongside him.
"Alright, rolling. Scene 2-4. Seok's first appearance. And — one, two—"
This time, I didn't close my eyes.
These weren't emotions that were hard to slip into, after all.
The way Horn gazed at "Seok-hyung"…
"Action!"
…would be exactly the same as the way I looked at Jung Hyun-hyung.
"Hyung!"
The moment I stepped into the facility, a familiar face came into view, and I broke into a wide grin. I sprinted down the long corridor, and Seok-hyung caught me in his arms, laughing.
"Our little Ppulppuri, you did so well on your very first mission today."
"You watched, hyung? I set off three of them, one after another!"
"Of course I watched all of it. Hyung watches everything you do."
"Yeah! Hyung's amazing!"
Seok-hyung stroked my head. His hand would move down to my back next, wouldn't it.
Just as I thought.
A smile spilled out of me at the warm, enormous hand resting between my shoulder blades. Seok-hyung smiled gently back.
"That's all you have to do on every mission from now on. Got it?"
"Yeah! I think I could set off five more today, even!"
"Really? Then shall we head to the lab now?"
Oh.
I'm a little tired, though.
Before returning to the facility, there had been a sudden ambush by hostiles. It had caught me off guard, but it wasn't all that different from the training I'd been put through, and with Agent Jang Yoseok there too, we'd dispatched the enemy with ease.
Still, it had been my first time out in the field, and with one thing after another, it had been a long day. Right now, I wanted to rest.
But…
If Seok-hyung said to go, then I'd go.
Grinning, I grabbed the hem of his lab coat.
"Are you coming too, hyung? Then let's go."
"Of course I'm coming with you. Leave my Ppulppuri alone by himself?"
"Agh, I told you not to call me Ppulppuri! Everyone else calls me H — why does only hyung use the baby name?"
That cursed "Ppulppuri."
My ever-doting hyung, who granted my every wish, refused to give up that one pet name no matter what.
When I pouted in irritation, Seok-hyung stroked my head with a kindly hand.
"Your name, Horn, means 'antler,' doesn't it? Ppulppuri is warm and full of affection — what's not to love? I never liked H, honestly. It has no warmth to it."
"Still, H sounds way cooler."
"Cool? Where on earth did you pick up a word like that?"
"Yoseok-hyung uses it. I mean, Agent Jang."
Seok-hyung murmured that he would simply have to scold Agent Jang Yoseok on my behalf later.
The gentle face and the words I'll scold him for you went together so badly that a laugh bubbled out of me.
Honestly.
Hyung is just too soft-hearted.