Chapter 73
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Observation Variety Offer
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"There's not much prepared, but please eat up, Theater Owner."
"Our mom is a great cook!"
"Haha, alright. I'll dig in. I hope my coming over isn't putting you out."
"Not at all. You've taken such good care of our Siu that I really wanted to treat you to a meal sometime."
Today, Kim Sangcheol had come to our house at my mom's invitation.
She kept calling him to thank him for always helping out and insisted on inviting him over.
She said if she invited him herself, he'd feel burdened, so I should do it.
I called him right away, and though he hesitated a bit at first, he eventually agreed and came today.
Thanks to my mom's usual skill at whipping up nourishing meals for me, the dining table was laden with so much food it looked like the legs might snap.
"By the way, now that your drama's wrapped, you're getting a ton of variety show offers for Siu, aren't you?"
"Variety shows?"
"Yeah. You know, stuff like 'Running Man' or 'The King of All Games'?"
"Uh-huh."
I prefer dramas and movies, but I do catch those variety shows sometimes while waiting through commercials.
Seeing I didn't seem too interested, Kim Sangcheol looked a little flustered and pressed on.
"But you don't want to do them? It'd be funplaying games and all that."
"I'm good."
They're basically shows where you wreck your body for laughs, right?
I could pull off a comedic acting role, but making myself a clown on variety? Not a chance.
People with that kind of talent exist for a reason.
"I do like comedy genres, though."
"You mean acting?"
"Yeah. But variety? Not my thing. No interest in being funny, and I'm not confident I could."
I said it firmly, then chomped down on the ssam Mom fed me with an "ahh."
Mmm, the duck is delicious.
"I think variety's still a bit early for Siu too, but one of the offers that came in seems pretty good. It's not like those real variety shows out now, so I took a closer look."
"Huh? What is it?"
Kim Sangcheol's enthusiasm piqued my curiosity a little.
Not that I wanted to do it, but what was getting him so worked up?
My recent cereal ad shoot had been fun, with a great vibe, and the response after airing had been explosive.
Since he'd picked it out, I was a bit interested in his take.
Guy's got a good eye.
"It's a genre I'd never heard of beforeobservational documentary variety."
"Documentary variety?"
"Oh, didn't you say your mom used to do documentaries? It's filmed quietly like a doc, shown unfiltered for that subtle fun. That's why they call it observational variety."
"Hmm. Sounds not bad. Could give a nice, feel-good kind of entertainment."
"Haha. Right? You get it right away."
With my former-documentary-director mom showing interest too, Kim Sangcheol dove in more eagerly.
"So, specifically what we'd be doing is..."
Bzzz
Just as Kim Sangcheol was about to launch into the details.
My cellphone, sitting nearby, started vibrating wildly.
It was a call from "Nam Yeonsu."
Well, technically Nam Yeonsu's home phone number.
At our last shoot, he'd asked for my number, but said he didn't have one yet and gave me his home line instead.
Said we'd talk secretly when Dad wasn't around.
He's way busier than me, and no cellphone yet?
Most of his calls get handled by his manager or dad anyway, so I'd just said okay.
"Yeah, hyung? What's up?"
Siu! You hear about it?!
A booming voice from Nam Yeonsu blasted through the receiver.
Anyone could tell he was super excited.
"About what?"
Variety!
Variety?
Just to check, I glanced at Kim Sangcheol and asked,
"You mean the documentary observational variety offer?"
Whoa! Yeah! It came to both of us together. Siu, you'll do it with me, right? It's just filming while we travel... That means I get to travel with you! I'm definitely in.
"Oh, really? I just heard about it, so I don't know the details yet."
No way! Then you'll do it with me for sure? I'm so pumped! Top actors do stuff like this!
"Hyung, hold on. Just a sec. Let me check."
I pulled the phone from my ear for a moment as Nam Yeonsu rambled excitedly and looked at Kim Sangcheol.
His words must've carriedKim Sangcheol was staring at me with a hugely intrigued look.
"Is the one you were talking about... the documentary variety with Yeonsu hyung?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. We got an offer for both Nam Yeonsu and you."
Hearing Kim Sangcheol's stunned confirmation, I turned back to Nam Yeonsu.
Didn't know why we were doing this mid-meal.
"Yeah, looks like it. Uh, hyungyep, it's real. Came for me too."
Right?! We gotta do this. You know PD Kim Sanho? It's his show. Bound to be fun.
"Kim Sanho? Who's..."
Oh, oh! Siu, Dad's due back any minute. Gonna get caught. Talk later!
I'd wanted to ask more, but he hung up.
It felt like a storm had just blown through.
I stared blankly at the dead phone for a bit before turning to Kim Sangcheol.
"So, what's the show? And who's Kim Sanho?"
Right on cue with Nam Yeonsu's call sparking my interest, a smile spread across Kim Sangcheol's face.
"Have a safe trip...!"
As the front door clicked shut, Nam Yeonsu scurried to the master bedroom and whispered.
The living room was pretty far from the entryway, so his call probably hadn't carried.
Still, just in case, he peeked into the master to check if Dad had overheard.
"Huh...? Oh, he's not here."
No sign of Dad, but a noise from the attached bathroom made him jump.
He bolted to his own room.
It hadn't been long since wrapping The Cactus Flower Bloomed, but as always, 3-4 new scripts were piled on his desk.
"Hee hee. First variety show ever. But observational? I could totally do that."
Muttering to himself excitedly, Nam Yeonsu flopped onto his bed.
And this time, he wouldn't be alone.
He'd always been surrounded by adults, laughing cluelessly till the shoot ended.
This was different.
He'd be going with Han Siua younger colleague, but someone he could rely on.
Work, sure, but he'd never felt this thrilled before.
Nam Yeonsu covered his mouth, giggling.
Then, through the half-open door, he heard Dad on the phone in the living room.
"You should've just cut that out yourselves! What's good about going on with Han Siu?!"
Han Siu...?
A familiar name jumped out from Dad's yell.
Nam Yeonsu crept to the door and strained to listen.
Terrified, but it seemed tied to the variety show they'd just been discussing, since Siu's name came up.
"Can't do your job right? You think I pay Manager Kim that salary to micromanage this crap?"
GaspManager Kim was his own manager.
Nam Yeonsu clamped both hands over his mouth.
Looks like... Dad was against him doing variety with Siu.
"Contact Director Hwang like I said last time. Yeonsu's next project's with him."
The call continued, but Nam Yeonsu barely registered it.
He slid down the wall opposite his door, collapsing in a heap.
The drama wrap was recent.
And it'd been a massive hiteveryone knew him now.
He'd thought he could take a breather, pick his next gig carefully...
Who the hell was Director Hwang?
Next project, Director Hwangall new to him.
Dad had never discussed his upcoming roles with him.
Familiar.
It happened every year.
Steady 2-3 projects a year.
Just as Dad planned since debut.
A drama shoot runs about 100 days, give or take.
2-3 filled a year quick.
His dad left no room for rest or other thoughts.
'What do I do now?'
Lost in gloomy thoughts, Nam Yeonsu heard a loud voice from outside again.
"What? You already told Yeonsu? Why would you tell him! Hang up!"
Dad hung up irritably and stomped toward Nam Yeonsu's room.
Startled from his slouch against the wall, Nam Yeonsu scrambled up.
He plopped at his desk and flipped open a script.
Dad flung the half-open door wide.
"Just talked to Manager Kim. Next one's Director Hwang's project. Watch his films and write a report."
"Yes, Dad."
"Mm."
Dad paused on his way out, staring hard at Nam Yeonsu.
Had he been caught eavesdropping? Nam Yeonsu held his breath.
"I-I'll work hard."
"Yeah."
After a pause, Dad shut the door and turned to leave.
Nam Yeonsu hesitated, then called after him.
"D-Dad."
"What."
Stone-cold blank face.
No matter what he said or what records he set, Dad never changed.
Nam Yeonsu bit his lip, then mustered courage.
He didn't want another project like this.
He'd just called Siu, begged him to do it together...
This time, he wanted variety.
He didn't want to back down passively like always.
Just this once, he didn't want to obey blindly.
They'd barely talked properly on set amid all the filming and makeup, but this variety shoot could make them real friends.
"Um... Manager Kim said I could do the variety show. Observational, so no need to do anything special, he said it was fine."
Excitement made him ramble.
Oopshe caught himself and shut up.
Long-winded without a point.
Dad hated that most.
Any more, and a scolding was coming.
"So,"
Huh...?
He'd braced for the yell, but Dad was actually asking.
Stunned by this uncharacteristic response, Nam Yeonsu brightened a bit and continued.
"C-Can I do that variety? I got close to Siu during Cactus Flower. And PD Kim Sanho's showgreat for boosting recognition...!"
"Have you got a brain or not?!"
"..."
Not this.
Nam Yeonsu froze at the unexpected shout, mouth clamped shut.
"Couldn't even handle a six-year-old in this drama, and you want variety with him? You're nowhere near ready! Tsk tsk."
BAM!
The big yell came after all.
Thoroughly deflated, Nam Yeonsu face-planted onto the open script on his desk.