Chapter 58
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Good Work, Mom
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"Good work today. Your acting was good."
"Yes. You too, Mom."
Kang Sujung paused for a moment at my calling her Mom, then nodded and turned away.
That was about the extent of Kang Sujung's farewell.
It wasn't lacking, but it didn't go beyond that either.
For some reason, it always felt like there was a wall in the middle.
"Good work. Good work today."
After exchanging greetings with the staff she passed, Kang Sujung quickly left the set.
The large apartment where Woojoo's family had lived before her dad got transferred to a rural hospital.
This place wouldn't appear in the drama again.
The people living here had all scattered, and that was the starting point of the drama.
Because of that, they'd only rented the Mapo apartment for a few days.
So they had to shoot as many scenes as possible in one day.
Proving it, the supporting actor playing Woojoo's real dad had come by briefly, shot a couple scenes, and left.
After filming countless scenes in multiple takes like that, it was already getting dark outside before we knew it.
There had been a lot of crying scenes today in particular, so my eyes were red around the edges.
"Siu, you were amazing today."
"You should put some ice on your eyes, huh? Good job crying so much."
The staff hadn't held back their praise for how I could freely pour out tears without eye drops.
I flashed a big smile, bowed in thanks, and left the set with Uncle.
"Sniff, Siu. Seatbelt on?"
"Yeah. Uncle. Eyes red."
I'd been the one crying, but why were his eyes so puffy?
Uncle buckled into the driver's seat, his eyes all red.
As soon as I got into character, Uncle had covered his mouth and streamed tears.
He'd even grabbed me, wailing about how pitiful Woojoo was.
Still, as a former aspiring actor, Uncle had such rich emotions.
"Your acting was just too realistic, that's why."
"Heehee. Good thing then."
Uncle gently turned the steering wheel.
We still hadn't decided on a car, so Mom had lent us hers for today, and Uncle was driving.
"Siu, how was shooting today? Was it okay working with actress Kang Sujung? Not uncomfortable?"
"Hm? It was fine."
What was there to be uncomfortable about?
She lived with the script right up until shooting started, so no line flubs, and her timing was spot-on, making the acting smooth.
"Why? Did something seem off to you, Uncle?"
Wondering if I'd missed something, I asked curiously.
Uncle stopped at a signal and shook his head.
"No, no. It was fine. If it was weird, the PD would've said something."
"Then?"
"Hmm... I told you before, I've been to a lot of drama sets as a part-timer, right?"
"Yeah."
"It's not my first time seeing Kang Sujung. I've run into her a few times on other shows as an extra."
Uncle was surprisingly sociable, easygoing, and had a good personalitynot to mention plenty of experience.
So he knew a fair bit.
This was the kind of info that was awkward to ask anyone else about, so I listened to Uncle with sparkling eyes.
"But she had that same attitude on every show. Even with the male lead opposite her, super aloof. We even joked among ourselves that she'd never have a scandal."
"Really?"
Watching her today, it totally made sense.
"Yeah. Even after love scenes, it'd end with a businesslike 'good work' like today. No chit-chat during breaks either. Great acting, but hard to approach. And you had a lot of two-shots with her today, so I was worried you might've felt off."
"Hmm. Not really uncomfortable?"
Though I'd tried talking to her and gotten ignored.
Still, our chemistry worked great in the end, which was surprising.
Especially the scene where the mom in the drama, Han Jihye, breaks down for goodit synced up perfectly, like we'd rehearsed it a dozen times.
I started thinking Kang Sujung's skills were even more impressive than I'd realized.
"But she wasn't slacking off or anything today. Hard to put a finger on it, right? Even the crew seemed hesitant to say much, figuring it wasn't any beef between actors."
"Hmm."
"Feels like individualism or something. American style, maybe."
Uncle muttered that Hollywood was probably like that.
I wouldn't know about America, but not in England.
During breaks, we'd been dying to gossip with the other actors.
In the Oscar Troupe, if I stayed quiet even a little, they'd swarm me and start talking.
At first, it annoyed me as too noisy, but later, those times became precious.
Lost in those memories for a moment, I drifted into sentiment.
Uncle must've thought I was asleep, because he went quiet.
"Uncle."
"Huh? Oh, not asleep, Siu? Get some rest. Still a ways to home."
"But her acting was good. Right?"
Uncle blinked in surprise at my comment about Kang Sujung, then nodded vigorously.
"Haha, yeah. You two were incredible. Looked just like real mom and son."
"No saying that in front of Mom."
"Oh, right. Strictly forbidden."
"Yeah."
After firmly warning Uncle, I sank into thought.
Still, Kang Sujung didn't seem like just a cold person.
When we hugged and cried, her sadness had come through raw and real.
Thinking about it, she didn't strike me as blunt and heartless.
"Sigh."
"Huh? What's up, Siu? Feeling stuffy?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing."
It was our first shoot together today.
Only a day had passed working with her.
Whether our chemistry was luck or not, we'd have to see.
Splash
"Whoa."
"Ah, is this Siu's first time seeing the sea up close?"
"Yeah!"
July had arrived, and the weather grew even stickier.
I'd thought England was humid, but after a few years here, Korea was no slouch.
Every summer, Dad would splurge on AC a few years back just so we wouldn't melt into fermented cabbage.
The Korean sea I'd only seen on TV.
England was an island nation too, but Battenberg Manor was inland near London, so trips to the beach were rare.
Even in this life, with Dad running the chicken shop, closing for long was tough, so this was my first time at the seaside.
I'd heard it was bigger than a lake, but seeing this vast water for the first time, I stared at the waves with wide eyes.
"Siu, wanna go dip our feet and play?"
Uncle was excited too, asking eagerly.
Mom had even packed extra socks and towels, just in case.
Geez, do they think I'm a baby?
"Come back before the food's ready."
"Yeah, sure?"
I didn't really want to, but Uncle was insistent, so I gave in.
"Whoa!"
"It's freezing, Siu!"
"Ptoo! Ack, salty!"
"Haha, seawater's supposed to be salty."
Who doesn't know that!
Don't splash my face!
Fuming, I unleashed a barrage on Uncle.
But with my tiny hands, it barely fazed him.
After splashing around happily with Uncle, I slipped on my sandals and sat at the outdoor table in front of the lodging.
Today, the shooting staff setting up gear, Chailnam, Moon Heesung, leads Choi Taewoo and Kang Sujung.
Plus Nam Yeonsoo and the supporting actorsall down together.
"Haha, Siu already had a splash fest, huh."
"Yeah! Fun."
The staff cooed cutely as I returned with soaked pant legs.
With so many on the Cactus team, they'd rented out a whole beachside pension nearby.
Mine and Uncle's annex was right next to Moon Heesung's.
"Yeonsoo, not going to the beach?"
"Ah, me... Maybe later."
"Very big-brother thing to say."
The staff praised Nam Yeonsoo for being so mature.
As always, Nam Yeonsoo smiled shyly and sat quietly.
The table was piled high with fresh corn the staff had bought ahead.
"Eat some corn if you're hungry. We're prepping flounder mugwort soup now."
Everyone cheered at the staffer's words.
"What's this luxury? How brutal's tomorrow's shoot gonna be?"
"Nah, just want to nourish our actors a bit."
I munched the sweet corn kernels, swinging my legs.
Mmm, they said it's good raw, and it really is.
But grilled hot would be better, so I'll ask Uncle later.
"Whoa, sashimi too. Siu, try some sashimi instead of just corn."
Choi Taewoo, the drama's male lead, had gotten pretty friendly after a few meetings.
He must've thought I was picky, just nibbling corn.
I was waiting for the soup to share, but he didn't know.
I shook my head and held out my corn.
"Sigh, I'm having my appetizer right now."
"What? Even a little guy like you knows 'appetizer'?"
Choi Taewoo laughed in disbelief.
Moon Heesung beamed proudly beside him.
"Isn't Siu super smart?"
"Yeah. Wow, how do you raise a kid to be like Siu?"
As they marveled, I said seriously.
"Just watch TV. Everything's on there."
"Uhaha, gotta tell my big bro that. He just had a new nephew. Super cute. Wanna see?"
"Yes, show me."
Choi Taewoo, who'd bonded with Moon Heesung through his easy charm, started bragging loudly about his nephew pics.
My ears hurt, so I scooted my butt to the next seat.
There sat Nam Yeonsoo, quietly sipping water.
"Whatcha doing?"
As the elder, I started the talk.
All the other extras were adults, leaving just me and Nam Yeonsoo as kids.
Nam Yeonsoo had been sitting there blinking blankly, no one to chat with.
"Huh? Oh, hi Siu."
"Saw you earlier. Bro not eating corn?"
"Ah, yeah. Don't like it much."
"Really? Tastes good. Did you see 'Let's Go Halfway' yesterday? It was on TV."
"No, just heard the title. Isn't it brutal? My house doesn't let me watch much TV."
Brutal? It wasn't even R-ratedjust some cars exploding, motorcycles flying, that level.
I shook my head.
"Yeah, it's fine. Just an action flick."
"...But isn't it on late?"
"Ten o'clock? Yeah, went straight to bed after."
I'd waited days for it, so even Mom couldn't stop me.
She made me brush my teeth first, though, so I did quick and watched.
"I see. You must love TV, Siu."
"Yeah, watched 'Fox and Lady' yesterday, then the movie."
"Oh... that one. Doesn't actor Lee Youngjae star in it?"
"Right! You watch that drama? Yesterday was so fun, right?"
Finally, a topic we could vibe on!
Excited, I started on the birth secret reveal.
But Nam Yeonsoo smiled awkwardly and shook his head.
"Uh, no, haven't watched. Just know it 'cause I passed the studio filming it at the station."
"Whoa... Then what do you watch on TV?"
"Almost never. Sometimes English stuff?"
"Then how do you study acting?"
A kid who doesn't watch TV, when it's on all the time.
I asked in shock.
"Dad runs lines with me sometimes. Academy twice a week. What academy do you go to, Siu?"
"I don't go to academy. I watch TV."
How could we be so different.
Is there a happier hobby for an actor than dramas and movies?
I was about to ask what makes Nam Yeonsoo happy.
Then, as he awkwardly rolled his eyes, he lit up like he'd found treasure.
"I see. Hmm, Siu. Like sashimi? Better with chogochujang than soy."
"...Chogochujang's spicy."
"Thought so at first too, but it's good. Sweet even."
"Chogochujang is sweet?"
It's so red?
I eyed it suspiciously, and Nam Yeonsoo laughed, dunking a piece deep in chogochujang and holding it to my mouth.
"Tasty. Try it."
...Another assassination attempt?
First day in Sokcho.
Ultimate crisis.