Chapter 61
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Sokcho's First Shoot
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After wrapping up the first shoot in Sokcho, we all headed out for dinner together.
Led by Chai Ilnam's insistence that you had to try this if you came to Sokcho, the table was piled high with squid sundaes and mulhoe.
Wowww.
I gulped at the sight of food Id never seen before in my life.
Plump squids stuffed to the brim with what looked like delicious filling and steamed to perfection.
Fresh out of the steamer, steam rising gentlyit looked absolutely mouthwatering.
Siu, wanna try this?
Mm-hmm!
Of course!
I sat patiently, waiting for Uncle to cut the squid sundae with scissors for me.
By the way, Sius ad-lib today was no joke, right?
The praise for me popped up from the table where theyd started drinking, claiming they couldnt have a meal without some booze.
I stared intently at Uncles snipping, then perked up my ears toward them.
The director was shocked too.
Chai Ilnam, mouth stuffed full of mulhoe, couldnt speak and just flashed a thumbs-up.
Heh, Chai Ilnam sure has an eye for talent.
Is the writer okay with it? Siu changed up all the lines.
I actually liked Sius versions better. I was moved watching it.
Ooh, even convincing the writer. Is this the debut of a genius child actor?
Yes, this is it.
This is why I love ad-libbing.
Amid the staffs cheers, I grinned with an ehehehe.
Youre not having any mulhoe? You were chowing down on sashimi yesterday.
Hm? I will. After this first.
Just then, Kang Soojeong slid over and sat right in front of me, striking up a conversation.
This was a firsttruly remarkable progress.
When did she even see me eating sashimi yesterday?
I answered quickly, and right on cue, Uncle neatly cut the squid sundae into bite-sized pieces on my plate.
I shoved one big bite into my mouth
So good.
I trembled with.
Seeing that, Kang Soojeong and Uncle chuckled, finding it adorable.
That good?
Mm! More!
I answered with my mouth full of squid sundae.
Theres still some on your plate, Siu. Finish that and Ill give you more.
First time trying squid sundae?
Yeah. You have some too, sunbaenim.
I busily shoveled the squid sundae from my plate into my mouth as I spoke.
Kang Soojeong half-heartedly poked at hers with chopsticks, watching me with curious eyes.
Shed asked me all sorts of questions during todays shootguess she still had more.
How had someone so talkative held it all in until now?
Huh? Oh, Siu! Call from Jessica.
Right then, Unclewho had my cellphone with himcalled out in a fuss.
Whats Jessica calling for?
Ill take it.
Y-yeah, of course. Here.
I quickly swallowed the squid sundae in my mouth and took the phone.
Hello? Jessica! Hows it going?
I answered fluently in English, a bit louder than intended in my excitement.
Suddenly, I felt the whole restaurants Cactus Team staring at me in shock.
What? D-did Siu just say that?
Sounds like a native speaker.
Jessica? You mean that Broadway director Jessica Brown?!
The staff buzzed in astonishment, eyes on me.
Whoa.
Kang Soojeong, sitting across, gaped slightly in surprise.
Then she looked at me with even more intrigued eyes than before.
H-ha My nephew knows a bit of English. He watched too many foreign movies as a kid. Hahaha.
Uncle, embarrassed by the intense stares, awkwardly defendednot-defended me.
I ignored it and turned slightly away to continue chatting with Jessica.
In English, of course.
Whats this number?
On the other end, I heard the lively voices of Jessica and Jo Isu.
They were together again this time.
Were in Japan now. Getting ready to stage RUN here.
Jessica, werent you heading back to the States?
I was startled by the mention of Japan.
No wonder it was an unfamiliar international number.
Thats what happened. The Korean localization turned out so well that HQs now positive about exporting the license abroad.
Thats great.
It meant HQ had acknowledged Jessicas success.
I sincerely congratulated her on the Japan venture.
Siu. Heard youre in a drama in Korea? Your small-screen debut at last. Congrats! Ill make sure to watch. Super excited.
Thanks.
She mustve heard about me even in Japan.
I smiled, figuring thats why she called.
Isus been diligently translating your articles for me every day.
Really? Poor assistant director. Thanks, both of you.
I couldnt just sit still, I was so curious. Anyway, I heard the child actor youre co-starring with is super famous? Yeonsu? Yeonsu, right? Hows she?
Hm.
At Jessicas question, I glanced at Nam Yeonsu at the next table.
Even at dinner, with tomorrows scenes weighing on her, she had her script open on her lap, reading.
Well, shes good.
Good? Thats it? So like you, Han Siu.
What about me?
Sigh, Siu. I miss you so much these days. Japan has tons of candidates, but none like you. Feels like Korea raised your standards too high.
Suddenly, Jo Isus Korean burst through from the other end.
Siu, talk to Jessica for me. Tell her to lower her standards and compromise already. How am I supposed to find another you in Japan? Im dying here, seriously. Save me.
His words poured out in Korean machine-gun style, so desperate I chuckled.
Just like in Korea, Jessica was driving Jo Isu crazy over casting.
Jessica, no ones like me, so give up and lower your standards.
What? Whatd Isu say, Siu?
You heard Siu, Jessica? Time to compromise.
They both laughed cheerfully and chatted about something.
They bickered about giving up or not, then Jessica remembered I was still on the line.
This wont do, Siu. Hurry back so we can share the stage again. I cant work anywhere else now, its so frustrating.
Anytime. Talk soon, Jessica.
I ended the short call with Jessica and turned back with a smile.
But there was Kang Soojeong, eyes sparkling with even more curiosity.
I need to eat.
Siu, so what do you think of this line?
That ones.
I was starting to regret it a little.
Honestly, I hadnt expected this.
The next morning at the shoot site after a nights sleep.
Todays filming was set for the wide-open beach.
While the staff bustled with preparations, the actors waited in a row under the shade of trees along the shore.
And just like yesterday, Kang Soojeong had set up her chair right next to mine.
Thanks to her sticking close and bombarding me with nonstop questions since yesterday, I was feeling a tad drained.
The other actors, like Choi Taewoo or Moon Heesung, treated me like a kid and doted accordingly.
But Kang Soojeong, unlike her silent days, still didnt fully treat me like a child, so she held nothing back.
She spent more time chatting with me than discussing the script with Chai Ilnam.
She hated being called noona or mom, but now she was all about building a close mother-son bond, asking all sorts of things.
Oh, and here. This line. What do you think Woojoos feeling at this point? Whats she hoping from me? If I know that, I can tweak my tone a bit.
She has high expectations of Mom but tries not to show it. Doesnt want to burden her. Being so young, she might not articulate it logically, but instinctively, yeah.
With the script memorized, a quick glance brought my interpretation flowing out smoothly.
Pleased with my answer, Kang Soojeong got even more excited, asking about the next page, the scene after.
Theres no detailed stage direction here. I vaguely pictured us facing each other But with the sea as backdrop, what if we both look far off or elsewhere? Might make the scene feel more layered.
Mm, that sounds good too.
So, so talkative.
Had she been pondering all these thoughts alone while reading the script until now?
If so, it made sense why she ignored everyone else and buried herself in it.
Today too.
Since that day, right? The day Siu ad-libbed.
Yeah, Kang Soojeongs been following Siu around ever since.
They even ate dinner together, dude.
Seriously, whats up? Is that the same Kang Soojeong who barely spoke on set?
The staff couldnt adjust to the drastically changed Kang Soojeong.
Even as they prepped, they shot puzzled glances our way.
Hey, you two look super close now? Whats so fun?
Just shop talk.
Then Choi Taewoo, also on site, came over and joined in.
At his sudden appearance, Kang Soojeong cleared her throat with a hem and replied curtly, like old times.
Choi Taewoo, embarrassed by the response, scratched his head and turned to me.
Ah, haha. Yeah? Must be nice getting close with Mom, Siu.
Yeah. Really nice.
Oops.
A bit worn out, Id answered more weakly than I meant.
I cautiously checked Kang Soojeongs reaction.
Either she didnt notice or pretended not toshe fiddled with her hair behind her ear and stared at her script.
Whats with her.
Still awkward talking to Choi Taewoo?
Makes sense it was like her personality flipped overnight, so even shed need time to adjust.
Hm, alright. See you at the shoot then.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm, sure, Daddy.
I called Choi Taewoo Daddy without hesitation on set.
Because there, he really was my dad.
I felt Kang Soojeong glance at me at the term.
What?
I pursed my lips and met her eyes.
Kang Soojeong, whod been about to say something, clamped her mouth shut.
Then she pointed to a part of the script and asked.
Here, the scene where Woojoo and Haesung fight. What does Ji-hye think of it?
Here we go again.
As soon as Choi Taewoo walked off, Kang Soojeong geared up for more questions.
No matter how I looked at it, the change was too drastic.
Hmm. Anyway.
The scene she was pointing to now
I tilted my head and said firmly.
Sunbaenim. That one later. Lets talk after todays shoot.
Huh? Why?
Sometimes ignorance is bliss?
I shrugged nonchalantly.
Kang Soojeongs face twisted in confusion, not getting it.