Chapter 13
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: I Want to Act Forever
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Great job on our first show today. Everyone worked hard!
The People in the Attic House team gathered in the waiting room.
Including the staff, there were just over twenty people, but the atmosphere couldnt have been better.
Right after finishing the debut performance flawlessly, everyone shouted in unison at Kang Yonghwis words.
Great job!
You all did great!
Ugh, my ears hurt!
Being smaller than the others, the rumbling voices of the adults must be a bit much for these little ears.
Over half of them were actors with amazing projection, too.
Dizzy with it all, I mumbled, Gweat job...
So, get this! The audience was crying and laughing every time Siu acted?
Thanks to Siu, we dont have to worry about this show selling out anymore. Heh.
How does our Siu do even better on stage? Huh? Tell your big bro the secret.
The troupe members chimed in one by one, praising me.
It felt like they were going out of their way for my debut stageme, only five years oldbut their expressions said it wasnt just empty words.
Ahem. Since Im a genius, Ill tell ya one by one!
I beamed, rewarding their enthusiasm with a grin.
Alright, everyone, pay attention.
Kang Yonghwi, whod been watching, clapped with a smile.
No shows this week, but starting next Thursday, we kick off a full month of runs. Lets go hard.
On that note, directors treating us to afterparty drinks today, right?
Heh, check this out.
Kang Yonghwi pulled a black card from his pocket.
Everyone gasped and covered their mouths as they recognized it.
The theater owners card...!
He mustve loved our first show! Never thought hed hand over his card!
The Emergency Iron 777 staff erupted into party mode at the sight of Kim Sangcheols card.
Afterparty means beef, right?
Beef might be too heavy for me. How about a pork assortment?
Sounds good!
Nice! We can order unlimited drinks, yeah?
United as one, they were all in.
Seeing them fired up, my own excitement surged, and I grabbed Uncles pant leg.
Afterparty!
I wanna go too!
Uncwe! Me too! Me too eat meat!
Huh? Uh... Siu. Were going for drinks. It might run late.
Drinks?
Im super curious what the booze is like in this culture.
Oh right, Im not old enough to drink yet.
Disappointment faded quickI tugged Uncles pant leg again.
Doesnt matta! I wuv meat!
No, Siu. Im the one who doesnt... If I take you to the afterparty, your mom might kill me.
Eeee! Meat!
Whats this nonsense!
I stomped my feet.
I thought I could finally ditch the mask and join an afterparty.
But this little bodys holding me back.
Ah, speaking of the body...
Weird.
My whole body feels limp... and Im getting sleepier...
Me too... meat... wanna go...
Oops, Siu looks sleepy. Dongwook, you still good for the afterparty?
Through my blurry vision, I saw an actor and Uncle.
Nod.
My head lolled, and Uncle reached out.
Nngh, afterparty... gotta go...
Yeah, yeah. Sius parents are here today. Up you go. I can gojust leave him with his sister.
Alright, alright. Aigoo, Sius eyes are shut. So poised on stage, but still just a five-year-old Cant fight the sleep?
I wriggled into Uncles arms as he picked me up.
His warm body heat hit, and sleep crashed over me harder.
In the end, I couldnt hold out and conked out.
Shake, shake.
My dangling limbs swayed with Uncles steps.
Should be around here... Wheres sis? Cant even check my cellphone carrying the kid.
Waaah, waaah.
Leaning on his back, Uncles voice sounded muffled, like underwater.
I drifted off to that lullaby voice.
Back in my Oscar Theater Troupe days, I never once joined an afterpartytoo scared my identity would leak.
Too many risks going from troupe to a crowded bar.
Couldnt exactly swap stories in a full-face mask.
If I got caught, itd drag the troupe down too, so I always skipped them.
Master, have this at least.
...Oliver. How long you think Im gonna stay a nine-year-old kid?
Then, safe in my huge castle room.
When Id mope about missing afterparties, Oliver would knock.
So, youre not eating?
Who said that?
I grabbed a handful of the dried fruit Oliver offered and crunched away.
Weirdly, Id always preferred dried fruits over fresh as a kid.
When the duchess scolded me hard, dried apples or honey-dipped raisins would quiet me down.
Oliverd fetch dried fruits whenever I got down.
And have this with it.
You...!
Dont worry. Its cheap stuff. What we servants drink anyway. Gotta let off steam, right, master?
Hed sneak me servants grape wine too.
Not great qualitytart and poorly agedbut who cared.
So, the Baroness Verdun kept coming, huh?
Yes. Didnt you know? Always in the third seat, staring holes through you. Thought you knew with those intense eyes.
No clue. Baroness Verdun likes my shows? And? And?
Wed set a simple drink spread, and Id hear about the audience or green room gossip from him.
Chatting through the night like that eased the ache of missing troupe afterparties a bit.
Ung... thankyou...
Words from back then slipped out in a faint mumble.
Uncle halted mid-step at my words.
Huh? Siu. Whatd you say?
...Thank you, Uncle.
To this lifes familiar voice too, I gave long-overdue thanksthen surrendered to endless sleep.
Siu, ahh
Ahh.
Munch, munch.
I stuffed a bite of rice wrapped in kim into my mouth and chewed.
This kim stuffs amazing.
Plain rice sticks great, but with seaweed kim, its next level.
Mowe pwease.
Want more?
Lately, Id been begging Mom for kim-wrapped rice almost daily.
Weird, whenever I tried myself, the kim crumbled.
Saw her sigh thenfigured just eating it helped her out.
Breakfast after sleeping off the premiere felt extra sweet.
Man, our Siu was so cool yesterday?
Weawwy?
Mouth full of rice, my words slurred extra.
Dad chuckled and nodded like, For real.
Gulp.
I swallowed quick and bounced on my butt.
Wanted to jump up, but...
All that etiquette trainingno way Id act uncouth.
Ung! I wuv it fow weaw! Wike, boom! So stwong! Pow! And its just me on stage!
Wow, really? Werent you scared at all? Mommyd be terrified on a big stage like that.
Ung, no pwob! Its fun!
Ahh, Mom.
No worries there.
This bodys graced way bigger stages plenty times.
And cuwtain caww! Wuv cuwtain caww.
Haha, that good, huh?
Ung! Peopwe cweepin hands wike this, fwom hewe to thewe, zzzip zzzap!
I spread my arms wide, trying to show yesterdays thrill.
Still tons of Korean words I dont knowso this was my best shot.
Luckily, Mom and Dad got it.
They gazed at me fondly, all aww cute.
Urk.
Weird noise from Dads side.
Uncle, who came home late last night.
My loud voice mustve rung his headhe clutched it with both hands.
He shakily scooped bean sprout soup Mom made.
Looked like hed gone hard at the afterparty I missed.
That lush...
My hype souredI shot Uncle a cold glare.
Siu, acting that fun?
While tsk-tsking Uncle inside, Dad asked casually.
Here it comes.
I clamped my mouth tight, face serious.
Gotta answer right.
I knew theyd let me on stage by luck so farnot full approval.
Yeah. Fun. Acting.
I nodded solemnly.
Mouth shut again, Mom eyed me then added softly.
I know its a great chance to do what you want... But Mommys worried you seem tired lately. Plenty more opportunitiesll come... Siu, youre not worn out?
...
Opportunities.
Mom was rightthis stage was huge for me.
The dream stage of lifetimes past, paving way for more.
But I didnt grind this little body just to grab one shot.
No, simply put,
Not tiwed. Fun.
Practice, stageall too fun.
If I could,
Fowevaw... fowevaw wanna do it.
Wanted to tell them this itch to stay onstage forever.
Forever...
Mom and Dads faces clouded with thoughts.
They pondered quietly, then shared a look.
Mom nodded shortDad turned to me.
Siu, but if you ever change your mind, tell Mom and Dad easy, okay?
Ung...
Haha, not quitting acting. Dont worry.
Yeah, Siu. Were just thinkingif you wanna keep going, maybe prep more stuff.
Pewp?
Something like that. Now, finish your rice?
Pushing Mom now wouldnt fly.
For now, no quitting actinggood enough. I nodded.
Ung!
Weeks after People in the Attic Houses premiere.
Crowds swarmed Emergency Iron 777s theater in Daehangno.
All there for People in the Attic House.
Online tickets sold outnow lines for walk-ins stretched forever.
This the show? With the kid?
Yeah. With Kim Seonwoo. Supposed to act great?
Her friends words had the woman flipping the pamphlet skeptically.
A five-year-old? How good can it be. Look at that faceperfect already. They just love him cause hes cute.
Nah, nah. See today, youll get why this kids blowing up.
Han... Siu? Yeah?
Yup. Han Siu. Know how hard these tickets are now?
Emergency Iron 777s two stars now: rising genius Kim Seonwoo and baby actor Han Siu.
Most came for Seonwoothen got hooked on Sius charm, spreading word sister fans.
Shy brother fans bringing snacks were growing too.
Gasp, is that Han Siu?
Where where?
Siu!
Crunch crunch.
Wondering if fans were out, Han Siu peeked near the theater.
Sure enough.
Sigh, this popularity.
Troupe calls him that now.
Daehangnos idol.
Ung? Hewwo.
Han Siu bowed at the waist, waved bye-bye to fans, and slipped inside.
Kyaa! So cute!
Siu! Look over here!
Fans cheered till he vanished inside.
Feeling the hot cheers on his back, Han Siu smiled sly.
Love it. This attention, this love.
Fans knowing his name and face.
How long hed dreamed of this.
Feels this good without the mask!