Chapter 64
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: The Ugly Duckling
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After wrapping up the shoot in Sokcho, we returned to Seoul.
It had been a pretty packed schedule, so starting today, we had two days off.
Even after the break ended, my filming schedule was more relaxed than before for a full week.
It wasn't completely emptyjust one or two scenes a day.
Yawn.
It was a rare vacation, so I slept in luxuriously before getting up.
Even so, it was only nine in the morning.
I'd had to wake up at dawn in Sokcho and be on standby for so much, so my eyes popped open early.
Siu, did you sleep well?
Yeah....... Mom, I wanna eat soup first.
Still half-asleep, I shuffled out, and Mom guided me to the bathroom.
I washed my face and woke up properly.
I came out to the living room and enjoyed a cozy breakfast with Mom for the first time in ages.
What are you going to do today, Siu?
Hmm.......
I wanted to lounge on the couch all day watching TV.
But if I said that, Mom would be disappointed.
Or I could head to Emergency Iron 777 for the first time in a while and see Kim Sangcheol and Kang Yonghwi, but Mom would worry I wasn't resting properly.
After racking my brain for a bit, I came up with the perfect answer.
Should I go to the reading classroom?
Really? Let's go together then, Mom and me.
It was the right call, as expected.
Seeing Mom's beaming smile, I nodded.
She was always worried I didn't interact enough with kids my age, so I had to reassure her like this at least.
It was a place Mom had found for me after I decided to pursue acting instead of kindergarten, so I should show my face once in a while.
Holding Mom's hand after so long, we arrived at the library.
The reading classroom teacher greeted me even warmer than before.
Oh my, Siu's here! I thought you were too busy these days to come.
I could tell at a glance she was a viewer of The Cactus Flower Bloomed.
Mom said to take good care of me, greeted her, and left the library.
She was probably off to the market or Dad's chicken shop.
There were six kids in today's reading classroom, including me.
After reading the assigned picture book together, we'd have free time to chat.
It hadn't been long since the books were handed out, but the kids who finished already headed to the playground in the children's library or the outdoor lounge.
Sharing impressions was important, but making friends with peers was one of the class's goals, so the teacher didn't stop them.
They'd all have to gather back here and talk when time was up anyway.
Today's book was The Ugly Duckling.
For someone like me who read thick scripts every day and memorized not just my lines but everyone else's, the story felt too short.
Still, the content was great.
Not just for kids, but for adults too.
I finished it in a flash and stayed put, too lazy to move.
Then the teacher approached with sparkling eyes.
Siu, isn't filming exhausting?
It's better than I thought. Acting's fun.
I see. Amazing that you've already found something you love at your age.
Yeah.
Well, it wasn't exactly a realization after six years.
I'd figured it out in my past life and loved it ever since, so it had been nearly thirty years.
Isn't it tough filming with adults at your young age?
Mm, it's fine. Everyone treats me great.
At that, the teacher's eyes lit up.
Really? So Moon Heesung treats you well too, huh.
Ah, Teacher.
She must be a Moon Heesung fan.
Her face lit up twice as bright as beforeI could tell right away.
Yeah. He's really good to me, to Yeon-su hyung, and even to the staff.
I didn't mention how we hung out at Moon Heesung's place every night after filming.
If I did, I'd never hear the end of it.
Got it, Siu. Fighting with the filming! Teacher's keeping up with it every week.
Yeah, thanks.
After wrapping up with the beaming, happy teacher, I looked around and spotted another girl sitting alone at the table besides me.
The other kids had finished their books early and run off to play, but she was absorbed in something.
Her name was... Lee Hye-in, right?
A girl a year older than me with natural brown hair.
She hadn't even started school yet, but she was already wearing glasses.
Starting glasses this early.
Figures.
She was buried in her workbook even during break time.
Curious what she was so into, I sidled over.
What're you doing?
......!
All the other kids had dashed off, so she stood out.
She flinched in surprise, like she hadn't expected anyone to talk to her.
Didn't think she'd react that strongly.
...Doing math problems.
Oh. Fun?
Fun...? It has to be fun?
She replied coolly, like what kind of question was that.
I glanced down at her workbookaddition and subtraction of fractions for a kid not even seven.
Her pencil had stopped while she answered me.
She gripped it tight with her small hand, putting all her strength into not dropping it.
Hmm, I don't know the level of kids in this culture.
But isn't this a bit too early?
Then why do it?
'Cause I have to. Mom said so.
She frowned more, like I was getting weirder by the second.
You do it just 'cause Mom says so?
Why wouldn't I?
You don't do what you want?
......Dunno. Don't wanna think about it. Mom gets mad.
With that, like she was done, she turned her head sharply and went back to her problems.
I watched her for a while and realized something.
I'd been feeling oddly irritated by her earlier, and now I got why.
For some reason, she reminded me of Nam Yeon-su.
Same expression and vibe, so my eyes kept drifting without me realizing.
Couldn't put my finger on it exactly.
But she looked stifled, not free.
Why could I read this kid's feelings so clearly?
The answer was simple when I thought about it.
Because in my past life, I'd made that face too.
Back when I was Noah Battenberg, the youngest son of a duke's family, I'd been surrounded by tutors from childhood to build up my duties and refinement.
Not one subject was something I truly wanted to learn.
Ah, essay time was something to look forward to sometimes.
Chats with Teacher Kaprin, who devoured books of all genres, were fun and lively.
She knew so much and always gave great feedback on my essays.
Points to think deeper on, or suggestions like change this part here.
She never skimped on praise for the imaginative flair I added, calling it fascinating.
That's probably why.
The other tutors taught stiffly out of obligation, but Teacher Kaprin seemed genuinely excited to teach me.
Or maybe they stuck to that because I showed no interest outside essays.
What if I hadn't gone to that theater at nine?
I might've lived the life my parents wanted, like these kids.
Even then, as a noble, I had a pretty happy childhood.
I could do whatever I wanted and get whatever I desired.
Being the youngest meant less scrutiny than my older brothers.
And above all, I carried that play I'd seen at nine in my heart.
After that, I listened harder in Teacher Kaprin's classes and spent my days writing scripts for plays I wanted to see alone.
Lost in those thoughts, I stared blankly at Lee Hye-in, who was busy with her math.
Was Nam Yeon-su in the same boat?
Was some pressure I didn't know about weighing on that little kid?
After a week of leisurely filming in Seoul, we headed back down to Sokcho.
Today was supposed to be all-day outdoor shooting by the beach, but sudden heavy rain canceled the afternoon schedule.
We wrapped early, so Cha Il-nam dragged everyone to a nearby sashimi place for a group dinner.
Han Yu-ju had come down to Sokcho this time too, so nearly all the staff and actors joined.
Wow, it's suddenly pouring.
Too bad we don't have a rain scene today. No need for the water truck.
Despite the unforecast downpour, the staff didn't look too glum.
With the beach as a main backdrop, Cha Il-nam scheduled around the fickle coastal weather.
We crammed in shots each trip down, so we could afford this leeway.
All thanks to having the full script up to the finale in advance.
The rain gave us this group dinnerpretty nice, huh?
Han Yu-ju, beaming, led today's dinner.
Her hair in a high ponytail, casual comfy clothes.
No big difference from other sets, but her expression was worlds apart.
Always sporting dark circles from side-script reading before, she looked great this time.
With great reactions rolling in each airing, Han Yu-ju was loving her commutes to the station and set lately.
Writer Han's face is glowing, glowing!
Ha, Director Kim. If every day was like now, I'd want nothing more.
With the rain drizzling on, steaming spicy fish stews went up on every table.
Alright, let's cheers!
At Cha Il-nam's call, the staff raised their glasses.
I jumped up with the cola Uncle poured me.
It was the only way to match the adults' height while sitting.
My glass sloshed precariously, full to the brim with cola.
Mom only let me have sips with chicken, but Uncle filled it like this when it was just us.
Uncle's the best manager ever.
Haha? Siu too?
Of course! Cheers are awesome!
What? You like cheers? Kahaha.
Is this kid really six? Heh.
Even at Dad's chicken shop, customers often did this 'cheers' thing.
Back in my Noah days in England, there was no such custom.
Curious about it, I'd looked it up in a book at reading class.
It came from clinking glasses so hard your drinks spilled, proving no poison in the other's cup.
A romantic origin carried on today.
I love that romance.
Cheers!!
I raised my cola high and shouted big, making the staff laugh and coo.
You like cheers that much, Siu?
Yeah!
No wonderI rarely went to group dinners like this, and my era didn't have the culture.
Having fun with good people, how could I not be excited?
Kya.
I downed the cola in one go and eagerly ate the fish Uncle deboned for me.
Then I spotted Nam Yeon-su poking at his spicy stew.
Kids might not like spicy stew.
But why did the kid look so down today?
Frowning, I studied Nam Yeon-su.
Maybe because of the past-life memories from 'reading class.'
I couldn't just stand by anymoreit bugged me.
What story was that little kid carrying?
To check if I was right, I needed to confirm first.