Chapter 49
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Moved by the Script
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Over the past month, I'd been secretly waiting for Han Yuju to finish the script.
I didn't fully believe her when she said she'd complete it and bring it over, but I had no choice but to wait.
The reason was simple: nothing worthwhile had caught my eye since then.
After turning down the first casting offers from Han Yuju and Cha Il-nam a month ago, I'd received a flood of proposals.
But what good were they?
None of them were projects I wanted to do.
The dramas all came with half-baked scripts that just annoyed me.
Then, through Kim Sangcheol, several movie scenarios came in, billed as exciting films.
I eagerly grabbed the scripts and read them, but they were utter disappointments.
Every single movie role wanted a simple "child character" with zero appeal, so rejecting them became routine.
That's why, when word came that Han Yuju had finished the script, my expectations naturally soared.
And now, I was feeling even more moved than I'd imagined.
Having written plays myself, I could tell the moment I saw it that she'd put in way more effort than just avoiding laziness.
Just as she'd boldly promised last time, the script went all the way to the final episode, solidly fleshed out.
In a pretty good mood, I read through the script.
Oh, oh wow.
The further I got, the faster my heart pounded.
"People are healed by other people."
The content dove straight into my heart, perfectly matching the planning intent written on the first page.
During those ten years alone in the steeple, I'd desperately realized how precious it is to be "with" someone.
And in this reborn life, I was being perfectly healed.
That's why I could empathize with this more deeply than anyone.
I closed the script and opened my mouth before I could even wipe the tears streaming down my face.
"I'll do it... this project."
It's so good, I really want to do it, and more.
I had so much more to say, but my throat choked up, and the words wouldn't come out.
"Really?! Cha sunbae! We did it!"
"Good job, Writer Han!"
"Am I doing a drama now? A real drama?"
"Yeah! Hey, you guys. I'm taking this on. This one's gonna be a hit for sure!"
Hearing my answer, Kim Sangcheol and Han Yuju hugged each other, thrilled.
While they swallowed back tears and celebrated, Kim Sangcheol turned to me with a dazed look.
"You, Siu-ya. You get what this is all about, and that's why you're crying?"
"Yeah. Of course. It's so moving. The idea that people open their hearts to each other and grow close... how incredible that is..."
I sniffled and wiped the tears pouring down with my sleeve as I answered.
Whew, the lingering impact of the ending was so intense that the tears wouldn't stop easily.
Uncle unrolled a wad of toilet paper from the side and handed it over.
Sniff, snort!
I wiped my tears and blew my runny nose thoroughly.
"Ha, really... A six-year-old kid saying he understands all this? Man..."
"I'm amazed too, Theater Owner."
"Dongwook-ah. Your nephew's a real freak, a total freak."
Kim Sangcheol shook his head, unable to comprehend.
Uncle, who'd been reading the script beside him, looked equally astonished.
"That's why... Acting this out's gonna be insanely tough."
Kim Sangcheol watched me wipe my tears, clearly finding it both bizarre and impressive.
"Dongwook-ah, did your sister or brother-in-law do well in school?"
"Sis did pretty well... Bro-in-law graduated from a Seoul engineering college."
"So it's innate brains? Acting talent's one thing, but a six-year-old grasping this stuff... with no life experience yet."
"Maybe 'cause we let him watch a lot of TV?"
"Then all those kids who watch TV would be prodigies?"
Kim Sangcheol now seriously revisited my genius theory in a grave tone.
What could I say? I couldn't exactly admit it was because I'd spent ten years locked away alone.
I'd finally stopped crying and blowing my nose, so I fiddled with it absentmindedly, pretending otherwise.
"Ha, haha. Siu-ya. Looking forward to working with you."
Cha Il-nam, who'd been overcome with emotion for a while, snapped back to reality, wiped his jacket, and extended his hand.
I smiled brightly and shook it.
"Yes. Looking forward to it too."
"Aigoo, what a sharp kid. You and Yeonsu acting together? Perfect match. Total perfect match!"
Cha Il-nam was already grinning ear to ear, as if he could hear the ratings soaring.
Meanwhile, Han Yuju pulled a small shopping bag from under the sofa.
"This is a gift since we're working together now, Siu."
"Thank you."
I quickly took the bag and opened it.
Inside was a cactus with pretty red flowers blooming.
"Whoa."
"Our title matches it so wellI saw it on the way and bought one. Let's do our best?"
Han Yuju smiled so wide her dark-circled eyes crinkled.
Her eyes brimmed with life as she spoke.
It was my first time trying screen acting, so I wasn't entirely free of worries.
But with these people, it might be okay.
They seemed to have the strongest passion for creating something truly good.
"Yes. Looking forward to it, Writer."
I shook hands with Han Yuju too, beaming.
"Cha PD-nim. What about scheduling this project?"
It's the standard question when pitching to top actors.
More than who the co-stars are or which writer is handling it, scheduling might be the biggest factor in a drama's success.
Actors might commit based on promises of "soon" or "scheduled," only for station issues to derail it.
When that happens, they lose face, pride, and even chances for other projects.
For top-tier stars, unscheduled projects after casting is a huge ego blow.
The male and female leads set to play Nam Yeonsu and Han Siu's on-screen parents weren't the absolute elite, but Cha Il-nam still had to tread carefullynot total rookies.
The child actors had been cast after huge effort, so nailing this slot was crucial.
With that in mind, Cha Il-nam entered the chief's office with trembling heart.
"Chief-nim, it's me."
"Yeah, yeah. Sit."
Cha Il-nam was close with Programming Chief Yu Myungju.
He'd been at KMB forever, and they'd been tight since trainee days, senior-junior.
Yu Myungju wasn't the authoritative type anyway.
He could be as friendly as the neighborhood uncle.
They often shared drinks at the pocha near the stationhe always looked out for juniors.
But that didn't mean he'd pull strings for scheduling.
Yu Myungju was ruthless at work, famously so.
Cha Il-nam quietly sorted his cards in his head.
A super-fun story, but from a debut writer with no full-length dramas under her belt.
A hot young star riding high, but new to TV acting.
Another called a genius with tons of appearances, but still just a child actor.
And leads who weren't top-tier.
'Still, gotta try.'
"Chief-nim. You read the full script?"
"Yep. All of it."
Yu Myungju's straightforward reply made Cha Il-nam's eyes sparkle.
Full scripts to the end were rare for dramas.
Usually, they greenlight based on synopsis, pitch, and first few episodes.
Then side scripts roll out based on popularity, star power, viewer reactions.
But The Cactus Flower Has Bloomed came with a complete script.
A full script to finale was one of Cha Il-nam's strongest cardsand the chief had already read it all.
A hugely positive sign.
Who was Drama Chief Yu Myungju?
A PD who'd grabbed the megaphone young and crushed it, ambitious as hell.
He monitored juniors' works with brutal critiques.
Cha Il-nam had been shredded by that vicious tongue countless times.
For him to read it all?
Basically a public endorsement that the script rocked.
"How was it? Super fun, right?"
Of course it was.
He wouldn't finish otherwise.
Cha Il-nam had entered tense but relaxed into the sofa at that answer.
Or tried to.
"Man, it's fun. Fun, yeah. Feels like one writer's work. But you know, scheduling might be tough."
Yu Myungju took off his reading glasses, rubbed his furrowed brow, and dropped the bombCha Il-nam jumped.
"No way! Chief-nim, you just said it's fun. Why tough? This is when you push hard..."
Cha Il-nam, brimming with hope moments ago, paled and yelled.
Yu Myungju snorted and waved him off at the outburst.
"Cha Il-nam. Lost your touch? Don't you know everything's going full makjang these days? Dropping something this bland in that vibe? Watered-down waterwho's gonna watch?"
"Chief-nim, exactly! In times like these, something fresh clears the palate, hooks viewers. You read to the endyou know it gets deeper, not bland at all."
Cha Il-nam pleaded, frustration etched on his face.
"Gotta grab viewers early to squeeze out those tears or snot later. This won't cut it. They'll drop before the sad parts. Even fun stories gotta follow trends, right?"
"Ha, Chief-nim. You know Nam Yeonsu and that Han Siu, Han Siu? Got 'em both. These kids step up with killer acting, snag early ratings easy."
"Still kids! You know child actor recognition? Who tunes in for child actors!"
Cha Il-nam pounded his chest in frustration at Yu Myungju's words.
Who watches for child actors?
They did.
Once hooked by Han Siu's acting, they kept seeking more.
One RUN show, and they went back four times.
Cha Il-nam had faith.
Put Han Siu on screen, show presence, and viewers would gasp, lock in to watch the little star.
"Ah, Chief-nim. You gonna keep this up? I got vision. I'm telling you, this'll work."
"You the only one with eyes? I got 'em too! To me, it's a no-go!"
Yu Myungju staked his name too when Cha Il-nam vouched on his.
Cha Il-nam was speechless.
Petty, dirty, childishbut no comeback against the drama chief.
"Chief-nim! Really? After all I've poured into KMB? You think I'd shove a flop my way? I'm staking my name too."
"So am Iblocking it. Shame, really. Too bland. Just a bit? Sprinkle some MSG here, real light."
It was exactly what he'd always told Han Yuju.
Cha Il-nam regretted it a little.
Hearing it himself stirred something bitter inside.
A truly good project, ignored.
Heartache and emptiness.
Cha Il-nam sighed deeply, deciding to just ask.
"Ha... Fine. So what's the slot? Casting's set, ads in talksgive us something good."
"Friday nights, back-to-back two eps."
"Chief-nim!"
Even for him, Yu Myungju's absurd slot had Cha Il-nam bellowing.
As if expecting it, Yu Myungju dug in his ear casually.
"Ah, quit yelling."
"Chiefno, hyung! Doing me like this? After all the cash I've brought KMB!"
"Hey, punk. Quiet! You give me that money? Did ya? Enough. Out, out."
Ha, think I won't go?
Cha Il-nam grumbled inwardly, shooting up from the sofa.
"That slot's trash. If that's it, I'm scrapping this! Then I'll quit. Resign!"
Fuming, he slammed the door on his way out, yelling like he'd show them.
Left alone, Yu Myungju blinked in disbelief at the door, then bellowed back.
"Oh yeah? That punk eat bad lunch? Fine! Quit!"
Cha Il-nam headed to the smoking room, bitter at the "quit" yell behind him.