Chapter 6: Memories Across Time (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 6: Memories Across Time (2)
‘You must come back alive. You must!’
The sound of Eonnyeoni’s sobbing as she held her hand until the very last moment was as vivid as if they had parted only yesterday.
A connection severed hundreds of years ago.
She had finally managed to adapt to this peaceful era.
But seeing this token of a promise—something she had kept close to her heart until the moment she died—made her heart begin to throb uncontrollably.
“Yu-jin, are you okay?”
Jang Ji-hye gripped her shoulder worriedly.
Only then did Lee Yu-jin realize her body was trembling.
“Oh, did you perhaps just recall a memory from a past life or something?”
Jang Hyun-soo watched her with an intrigued glint in his eyes.
Lee Yu-jin countered with a look of sheer disbelief.
“Don’t tell me you actually believe in past lives?”
“As the human Jang Hyun-soo, no. But as PD Jang Hyun-soo? I might. It makes working in broadcasting much more fun, doesn't it?”
“…”
“What a shame. I wish I’d had a camera. The way your eyes shook just now when you looked at that hairpin, your posture, the way you caught your breath… You looked exactly like a reincarnated character stunned by a sudden encounter with a precious object from their past life.”
It was his way of saying her visuals were so captivating he wanted to capture them on film.
Jang Ji-hye felt a strange churning in her stomach, seeing her father throw a ‘professional’ flirt at an actress for the first time.
Was Dad really serious about Yu-jin?
This wasn't just a light suggestion like, ‘Hey, you’re pretty, want to give this a try?’ This was genuine.
Experiencing this side of Jang Hyun-soo for the first time, Ji-hye felt a mix of jealousy and envy, along with a sense of her own presence shrinking.
But it makes sense. Yu-jin… she just glows.
Ji-hye stole a glance at Lee Yu-jin’s face and let out a series of silent sighs. She didn't even feel like picking up her face-down hand mirror anymore.
I’ve never seen Dad pursue someone so persistently. Was he like this when he married Mom?
His gaze and his meticulous attitude weren't those of a man talking to his daughter’s friend; they were the marks of a professional dealing with a star actress he absolutely had to recruit. Her father’s professional persona felt so foreign.
“Yu-jin, would you mind putting your hair up in a bun and pinning it with that hairpin? Should I go get a camera? I think we could get a magnificent shot.”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“Hmm, but your body is being quite honest, considering how tightly you’re gripping that hairpin.”
At those words, Lee Yu-jin started and tried to set the hairpin down quickly.
However, her fingers wouldn't uncurl, as if they were glued shut.
“Ah, this is…”
Startled, she tried to let go, but her hand wouldn't release its hold.
The longing embedded in her subconscious was forcing her knuckles to stay locked.
As her eyes darted around in flustered confusion, Jang Hyun-soo spoke with a calmed expression.
“Just listen comfortably. I’m currently planning a fantasy romance sageuk. It’s a story of love, conspiracy, sorcerers, and martial artists set in a fictional world called the Kingdom of Hwan, which resembles the Joseon Dynasty.”
Before she knew it, Jang Ji-hye had moved closer, gripping Yu-jin’s shoulder. She was listening to her father’s words even more tensely than Yu-jin.
“Yoon Se-rang has been confirmed as the female lead, but the bodyguard warrior who follows her like a shadow to protect her hasn't been cast yet. I think you would be perfect for that role, Yu-jin.”
“Dad, then our Yu-jin would be in two-shots with Yoon Se-rang throughout the whole drama.”
“Mhm, exactly. Because she’s the bodyguard.”
“Did Yoon Se-rang say something mean to you, Dad? Why are you trying to ruin a top star’s career?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I’ve never seen Yoon Se-rang in person, but if you put her and Yu-jin in front of a camera together, I think her fandom is the one that’s going to explode.”
“Now, now, Yoon Se-rang is very beautiful. She and Yu-jin could definitely create a visual synergy together—”
Tuning out the father-daughter banter, Lee Yu-jin stared intently at the hairpin.
It should have been covered in the blood and entrails that had spilled from her split stomach, yet not a single trace of blood remained.
“How much does this cost, by any chance?”
“It’s an heirloom, so there’s no set price. A few years ago, the National Museum offered to buy it for thirty million won.”
“Thirty million…”
It was an astronomical sum for a student.
Should I ask my parents?
Her parents, who adored their daughter to a fault, might actually empty their savings to buy it for her. They were always restless, wanting to do something for her, while Yu-jin was the one who made them anxious by never asking for anything.
“But honestly, it’s not a collection piece worth risking your life over. I’ll just give it to you.”
“What?”
Lee Yu-jin clutched the hairpin and watched Jang Hyun-soo with wary eyes.
“Do I have to appear in your drama as payment?”
“Dad!”
“Hey, why are you both so hasty? Listen to me first.”
Jang Hyun-soo waved his hands to calm them down.
“It’s absolutely not a quid pro quo deal. Why? Because PD Jang Hyun-soo believes in things like past-life connections. Who knows if you really were connected to that hairpin in a past life, and that’s why you were drawn to it instantly?”
“…”
“Of course, the human Jang Hyun-soo doesn't believe in such superstitions. Hahaha.”
Jang Hyun-soo gave a benevolent smile to the two high school girls who were acting as wary as kittens.
“It just seems to hold a deeper meaning for you, Yu-jin, so please keep it safe. I’d forgotten I even had the thing anyway.”
Lee Yu-jin gripped the hairpin even tighter.
A trace of a precious connection from her past life. But she couldn't just accept it blindly. That would be irresponsible toward her current life.
“If the National Museum offered thirty million, a collector might actually pay more, right?”
“Oh. You know a bit about how the world works.”
“And yet you’re just giving it to me?”
“Why? Do you think there’s a trap? Like I’m going to use this as leverage to force you into my drama or something?”
“…”
“Good grief, I’m not that dark or wicked of an adult…”
Jang Hyun-soo scratched his head and chuckled.
“Yu-jin, you are someone who is meant to be an actress. No, you will definitely become an actress one day. I trust my intuition as a PD.”
“…”
“For the sake of the world, and for your own sake. That is how you will become happy. Have you heard the saying that beauty is often short-lived? Only the fame of a star will protect you from the hardships and inconveniences you’ll face in the future.”
Lee Yu-jin quietly toyed with the hairpin.
“When you eventually make that decision, it’ll be enough for me if my name is the first one that comes to your mind. That’s the hope behind this gift.”
“Isn't that too much of a loss for you, sir?”
“Why is it a loss? Even if it’s not my work, if you debut through another PD or director someday, just being able to watch that performance would make the hairpin worth its price.”
Momentarily speechless, Lee Yu-jin asked again.
“What if I never choose that path in the end?”
“Then you can just return it then. Whether it’s ten years or twenty, I don’t mind. You can even return it through Ji-hye after I’m dead.”
“…Are you serious?”
“If a single antique can make Lee Yu-jin seriously consider a career as an actress, then I’ve gotten off cheap.”
*
It was no longer an atmosphere for doing homework.
Lee Yu-jin apologized to Jang Ji-hye, packed her bag and the hairpin, and headed home.
Jang Ji-hye didn't scold Jang Hyun-soo for making her friend leave early.
“I thought you were going to use that antique to haggle.”
“You can force a chance to work with someone, but winning their heart is difficult. I was buying Yu-jin’s heart.”
“But what if she doesn't become an actress and never returns the antique? Won't you lose out?”
“That’s what investment is. Not every seed you sow sprouts.”
Jang Hyun-soo stretched contentedly.
The hand that couldn't let go of the hairpin until the very end.
That sorrowful gaze that seemed to hold a hidden story.
Maybe there was another precious object that looked like that hairpin, and she lost it long ago.
Whether it’s a person or an object, it’s not easy to draw out a gaze so compressed with emotion from someone like Lee Yu-jin.
Lee Yu-jin was well and truly hooked by that hairpin.
That was why Jang Hyun-soo had given it away so willingly.
I even turned down Old Man Kim from Insadong when he offered three hundred million won for it… Looking back, that was the best decision of my life.
“But Dad, I guess you’re doing well lately? Giving away something appraised at thirty million to a friend’s daughter you just met.”
“The National Museum offered thirty million. In Insadong, they offered three hundred million.”
“Whoa, no way. Can I tell Mom?”
Snapping to his senses, Jang Hyun-soo begged for mercy on his hands and knees before his daughter, who was looking at him with mock disapproval.
Still, if I can make a talent like Yu-jin even seriously consider the path of an actress, it was a bargain.
“Dad. But why do you keep calling my friend ‘Yu-jin-ssi’? It’s giving me goosebumps.”
“Oh, I never speak informally to actors. Whether they’re stars, veterans, rookies, or extras, it’s all the same.”
“Oh… I heard there are a lot of power-tripping issues with PDs in broadcasting, but I guess I don’t have to worry about you?”
Jang Hyun-soo clicked his tongue.
“Do you have any idea how cunning young rookies are these days? If you pressure them even a little, they’ll put on a whole show of crying and acting like a victim just to make you look like a monster. I don’t know why they all come out of acting academies learning social maneuvering instead of actual acting.”
The reason Jang Hyun-soo was kind to all actors without distinction:
Rather than getting red-faced and shouting, it was much safer to calmly and methodically dissect their terrible acting with words. That way, no one could accuse him of a ‘PD power trip.’
*
That evening.
After returning home, Lee Yu-jin spent the whole time fiddling with the hairpin and reminiscing about the past.
It was strange.
The memories of Eonnyeoni, her voice, and even the future they had dreamed of together were all vivid.
Yet, her face remained impossible to recall, like a blind spot in her vision.
Did Eonnyeoni reincarnate like me? Or did she simply vanish from the cycle of rebirth?
Looking back, she had never known peace in all those cycles of life.
She was always dragged to the battlefield and met her end in the most dangerous places.
Her current tranquility felt like a reward for all that.
Her parents always treated her like the most precious treasure in the world.
Her brother was an embarrassment no matter where you took him, but his devotion to his sister was undeniable.
Since she was young, she had heard people tell her to become a celebrity until she was sick of it.
‘Wow, you’re really pretty.’
‘How can our Yu-jin be this beautiful?’
‘Yu-jin! You seriously have to be a celebrity! Not being one with that face is a sin against the world!’
‘You turned down another child actor casting? Why on earth?’
‘If you’re going to neglect a face like that, just give it to me!’
If Lee Yu-jin had been born with her original gender, she might have walked that path.
However, having only memories of living as a man, her life as a woman—which had only lasted a little over a decade—still felt foreign.
It was uncomfortable when people liked her or stared at her as a woman.
“Sweetie, let’s have some fruit.”
Her mother walked in with a plate of fruit.
Lee Yu-jin, who was mechanically bringing a fork to her mouth, suddenly asked.
“Mom, do you want me to be a celebrity too?”
“Huh? No, I’m happy as long as my daughter does what she wants and lives happily. Why? Did Yu-seok do that ridiculous deep bow again and beg you to let him be your manager?”
“…No. It’s not that.”
*
A few days had passed since he gave her the hairpin.
Having found peace of mind, Jang Hyun-soo had even put on a bit of healthy weight.
Then, late one night.
As he was enjoying a relaxing half-bath after work, his daughter Jang Ji-hye handed him her phone with a pouty expression.
“…!”
Snapping to attention, Jang Hyun-soo snatched the phone from his daughter.
“Hello? Hello? Is this Yu-jin-ssi?”
—…Hello, PD-nim.
His heart pounded as if it were about to explode.
Forgetting his daughter’s sharp gaze, Jang Hyun-soo desperately tried to steady his quickening breath.
—What happens if… I appear just once and then retire?
“You won't need to return the hairpin. It’ll be yours completely from that moment on. Because…”
Jang Hyun-soo gave a confident smirk, as if Lee Yu-jin were standing right in front of him.
“That one experience will change you anyway. Even if I don’t do anything else.”