Chapter 18
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Moon Heesung's Home
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There was no one in modern-day Korea who didn't know the actor Moon Heesung.
In his early twenties.
With outstanding talent that outshone even his handsome looks, he had conquered the theater world at a young age.
Was it because there were no other actors his age who shone as brightly, or was he just exceptionally lucky?
He quickly moved beyond theater into broadcasting.
The year he turned thirty.
Moon Heesung had solidly joined the ranks of Korea's top actors.
He won Best Supporting Actor at major film awards and frequently showed up as a winner at various acting awards ceremonies.
He took on every role that came his way until his mid-thirties, when he finally started being more selective about his projects.
With that newfound leisure, he never forgot his roots in Daehangno.
Even now, in his late forties.
'It's been a while.'
No matter how busy he was, Moon Heesung made sure to visit Daehangno's theaters once or twice a year.
To him, this place was a goldmine.
It was full of up-and-coming colleagues who hadn't yet found their spotlight, or actors who had returned to the theater scene.
Even though he was at the top of his game, Moon Heesung always believed there was something to learn from them.
Moon Heesung headed to Emergency Iron 777 with familiar steps.
It was run by his junior and respected senior, Kim Sangcheol.
Kim Sangcheol was an actor he'd met in Daehangno around the time he was first breaking into broadcasting.
Kim didn't get lead roles due to his looks, but his exceptional acting skills brought the two together quickly.
Technically, Kim Sangcheol had started acting later than him, making him the junior, but he was older.
They called each other brother and stayed close.
Their bond continued even after Kim Sangcheol took a break from acting to start his own troupe.
It had been quite a while since he'd last visited Emergency Iron 777.
His packed schedule hadn't left any openings.
But then he heard a rumor he couldn't ignore, and he had to come.
Kim Sangcheol was putting a five-year-old on stage as an actor.
At first, he didn't believe it.
Even if Kim Sangcheol and his director Kang Yonghwi didn't care about risks for a show, it wasn't easy.
Especially stage actingit was far too risky.
Having been in the industry for so long, Moon Heesung knew that better than anyone.
And Kim Seonwoo.
He'd heard plenty about that super rookie.
The rumors were growing out of control.
People were even saying a second Moon Heesung had appeared.
He was already keeping an eye on this newcomer and had been planning to check him out.
But hearing that this Kim Seonwoo was sharing the stage with a cute five-year-old actor? He couldn't just sit still.
In the end, Moon Heesung carved out time from his busy schedule to come here.
It was the final performance.
The front of the theater was already packed.
Fortunately, no one recognized him with his hat pulled low.
"One adult ticket. Available?"
"We have... oh, there's one bad seat left... Is that okay?"
"Yes, doesn't matter."
After a long wait, he finally reached the ticket booth.
He'd worried there'd be no tickets, but miraculously, a cancellation came up, and he got one.
His seat was second from the back.
Not great, but it didn't matter.
When Kim Sangcheol first said he was starting a troupe, Moon Heesung had thought it was amazing and cheered him on.
Seeing the theater this full already felt like a reward for the wait.
Soon, the show started, and Moon Heesung couldn't take his eyes off the stage.
The play he'd come to see with light expectations turned out to be far deeper and more entertaining than he'd imagined.
As expected from Kang Yonghwi's script.
And Kim Seonwoo, leading the play, lived up to the hype with his incredible talent.
His shining looks were one thing, but even from afar, his tremendous skill was palpable despite his young age.
Then came the unbelievable appearance of the child actor.
The five-year-old was delivering acting on par with Kim Seonwoo.
That alone was captivating.
But he needed to watch more.
The kid was still too young.
As he observed cautiously, avoiding snap judgments, an incident occurred.
From the midpoint, the actor playing the father had looked shaky in his eyesand now he'd forgotten his lines.
'Oh no.'
The final show, and it was a shame.
Moon Heesung watched the situation unfold with disappointment, but he quickly perked up.
"Grandmother said so."
The child actor opened his mouth, and Moon Heesung straightened up in his seat.
The passion from his twenties, which he'd thought had settled long ago atop the peak, bubbled up like soda.
"You've got some fun new actor these days, huh?"
After watching the final performance of People in the Attic House, Moon Heesung headed to Kim Sangcheol's office.
"You already saw it and you're asking again? Always so sly."
"You're the only one who'd call me sly. But seriously, that kid's really five?"
"Didn't you see for yourself? Hell, even I couldn't believe it at first."
Kim Sangcheol went on praising Han Siu.
You could feel how adorable he found the kid from every word.
He'd joined rehearsals maturely before the show and shone even brighter once on stage.
No one could argue about his talent.
After all, Moon Heesung had just seen it himself.
"Hyung, I want to meet that kid."
The fizzing soda in his veins made Moon Heesung restless.
I sat at the dinner table, alternating glances between my mom and dad with their serious faces.
Hmm.
I hadn't expected this awkward atmosphere.
It all started with the note I'd pulled out.
After dinner, as I was about to dash to the sofa, I paused.
When Mom asked what was wrong, I shouted "Ta-da!" and ran to my room to hand her the note I'd gotten from Moon Heesung earlier.
Then I got plunked back down at the table.
......I gotta watch my drama.
"So, Siu-ya."
"Umm."
I snuck a peek at the clock, realizing the drama had already started, and answered a bit glumly.
"This... sigh......"
"H-Honey, calm down. Inhale, exhale. Inhale! Exhale."
"Sigh, ha. Sigh, ha."
What are they doing?
I gazed at my parents with bleary eyes.
Once Mom finally calmed down, she looked straight at me and asked.
"Siu-ya, this is... sigh, really... Moon Heesung's number, right?"
"Umm. Yep."
Actor-nim.
The super formal title reminded me of when we'd watched Romeo with Mom and Moon Heesung.
She'd stared at him like she'd lost her soul back then too. She must really like him.
I nodded to myself, thinking that.
Whenever the Golden Mask got close to the audience during a performance, the noble ladies in the front row always made faces like that.
Mom must feel the same.
"So, he wants me to save this in my cellphone?"
"Umm, tell Moon Heesung Uncle your number too."
Since I hadn't asked permission first, I said it a bit tentatively.
But......
"What......?"
"H-Honey! Pull yourself together!"
Mom swooned against Dad like she was dizzy.
Startled, Dad supported her and fetched a glass of cold water.
Actors' popularity was insane, then and now.
"Our cellphone's broken...... so...... okay?"
"Huh? No, no. You did great. Siu-ya! You did awesome!"
"Honey......?"
"Ahem, no. As Siu's guardian, shouldn't I be in touch with Mr. Moon Heesung?"
"Yeah...... I guess?"
I gave Dad's unusually sad eyes a quick look, then turned to Mom.
"That's why Moon Heesung Uncle wants to meet you and me."
"What?"
"Is that for real?"
Mom and Dad's eyes widened even more.
I nodded.
"Umm. Yeah?"
At my question, they blinked at each other in shock.
Seeing that, I quietly slipped down from the chair.
Sneak, sneak.
This wasn't wrapping up anytime soon.
Gotta watch my drama first.
I hopped onto the sofa and turned on the TV with the remote.
Found the drama I'd been hooked on lately.
It was already midway through, so I swallowed my regret and focused on the screen.
Meanwhile,
At the table, Mom and Dad were whispering.
"Think it's real?"
"But he even got the number, so...... probably real?"
"Siu's smart, but he's only five. Maybe he got the wrong guy?"
Mom shook her head right away at Dad's words.
"No way. I've seen Moon Heesung tons on TV too."
"That's on TV."
"Over a hundred times."
Exactly.
Over a hundred times, yeah.
She'd even wanted to rewatch some plays right away.
At Mom's words, Dad asked in a low voice.
"......Over a hundred times?"
"Oh, no. It was for Siu's acting studies! Anyway, our Siu's smart. It's late now, so I'll call tomorrow during the day."
"Got it. Later, tell me if it's really him?"
"Of course. Duh. Honey, go wash up. You must be tired."
"Yeah, okay."
Phew, finally, my parents were done talking.
Now I could watch my drama in peace.
Unaware of the storm tomorrow might bring, I focused entirely on the TV.
"Siu-ya, say hi nicely when we go in, okay?"
"Umm!"
"This is wild. Me, going to Moon Heesung's house."
"Let's go in, Mommy."
"Yeah. Okay."
The day after I gave Mom Moon Heesung's number, she called right away.
And that same day, Moon Heesung showed up at our house.
Famous actor, but not that busy?
The surprise didn't last; in a rush, we closed Dad's chicken shop and met there as a group of four.
Too risky to go to a restaurant with Moon Heesung's fame.
I'd met him twice now, so I was just happy to see him again, but my parents weren't.
Realizing it was really him, Mom froze up completely, and Dad barely kept the conversation going.
Stuttering, sure.
"It'd be hard for me to meet Siu outside. Could I invite you to my place? I have a lot I want to talk about with him."
"Yes, y-yes?!"
With that shocking statement from Moon Heesung that day, here I was now, standing in front of his house with Mom.
It had only been two days since we'd exchanged numberswhat was the rush?
Seriously, not busy at all?
"Siu-ya, and...... get me one autograph from Mr. Moon Heesung."
"Umm. Got it."
Mom could be such a girl sometimes.
Last time at the chicken shop, she'd been too flustered to remember, but now her cheeks flushed pink, and she beamed at my words.
Ding-dong.
Not long after I rang the bell, Moon Heesung opened the door.
"Siu, and Siu's mom. Welcome."
"Oh, no need. Please take good care of our Siu today. I'll be at the cafe nearby."
"Yes, don't worry. I'll bring him there when we're done."
"Ah, yes. Then Siu-ya, listen to the actor-nim well?"
"Umm. Don't worry."
I waved bye-bye to Mom and took Moon Heesung's hand as we entered his house.
A massive place that reminded me of the Battenberg mansion.