Chapter 7: When the Supporting Actor is Prettier Than the Lead (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 7: When the Supporting Actor is Prettier Than the Lead (1)
“...”
Lee Yu-jin hesitated on the other end of the line.
Jang Hyun-soo was anxious. It was a precarious feeling, like dangling over a cliff while barely holding onto a frayed lifeline.
‘I can’t let this opportunity slip away.’
Thanks to his own daughter, he knew exactly how fickle teenage girls could be. He had to seize this moment, now that she had finally summoned the courage to call him. At the same time, he had to be careful not to startle her and make her run away.
“The role of the bodyguard involves wearing a mask throughout the entire production. In other words, only your eyes will be visible.”
That wasn't actually true. It was a setting Jang Hyun-soo had just made up on the spot. Any other actress would have rejected such a condition, but for Lee Yu-jin, this would be the selling point.
—Is that true? A mask from beginning to end?
“Yes, of course. You won’t take it off until the very end.”
Swallowing back tears of blood, Jang Hyun-soo forced a smile into his voice and gave a cool confirmation.
‘I’ll just have to keep opening her heart during filming. Yu-jin is bound to want to show off that face of hers on screen eventually, right? Slow and steady wins the race. Slow and steady.’
—Alright. Then I’ll appear in this drama just this once in my life. You really won’t ask for the hairpin back, right?
“Of course. Instead, if you ever feel like you want to continue acting later on, don’t be embarrassed—tell me first. I won’t tease you about it.”
—That’s not going to happen.
Jang Hyun-soo let out a silent, devious chuckle.
‘Will it really be like that?’
Actors who have tasted the applause in front of a camera can never forget that feeling for the rest of their lives. Why else would they crawl back to variety shows if they couldn't get acting roles, or turn to personal streaming if they couldn't get on variety shows? Once you dip your toes into this industry, you become addicted to a flavor you can never shake off.
“Thanks, Ji-hye.”
“Hmph.”
Jang Ji-hye grumbled as she took her phone back. “Dad, do you act like that with other actors too?”
“Not a chance. Yu-jin is the first person I’ve ever put this much effort into.”
Jang Ji-hye felt a strange sensation. ‘I’m getting used to Dad calling her Yu-jin-ssi. What am I going to do...’
“Dad, can I go watch Yu-jin film?”
“You?”
“She’ll need a stylist or something, right? I’ll just help her out on the side.”
“What about school? Oh, wait. Right. Since Yu-jin has to attend school, I should avoid weekday mornings as much as possible.”
“Wow, so your daughter’s friend missing class is more important than your own daughter?”
“Right now, the ego of PD Jang Hyun-soo is stronger than the ego of Dad Jang Hyun-soo.”
*
‘Eonnyeon-ah...’
I tenderly stroked the hairpin I had reunited with after hundreds of years. With this, the hairpin was now entirely mine.
‘It’s a good thing my face won’t be shown.’
Even if the role didn't require a mask, I would have done it. I could never give up Eonnyeoni’s hairpin. Fortunately, since I’d be wearing a mask, my face wouldn't be exposed, and I could just consider it a good one-time experience for the memories.
This was the end. I would never step foot in that world again. Being the center of attention and having eyes constantly on me because of this face was already exhausting enough.
“Mom, I have something to tell you.”
“Hmm? Do you need an allowance? Is there something you want to buy?”
“No, it’s not that.”
I was slightly taken aback by Mom’s intense reaction. Come to think of it, I rarely asked for anything first.
“You know that drama, Descendants of the Moon?”
“Yeah, I enjoyed that one. Why all of a sudden?”
I casually mentioned the drama Mom liked most among PD Jang Hyun-soo’s works.
“I heard it was directed by someone named PD Jang Hyun-soo.”
“I didn’t know that much.”
“It turns out he’s the father of the girl who sits next to me. I saw him when I went over for a group project a few days ago.”
“My goodness, really? Wow, what are the odds!”
Mom hopped around with joy like a young girl.
“My daughter’s friend’s dad is a famous drama PD! Oh, wait—how did he react when he saw you? That man must have seen all sorts of beautiful actresses, right?”
She seemed incredibly curious about Jang Hyun-soo’s reaction to me. Her eyes were sparkling as if they were melting with curiosity.
“Uh, he said I was pretty.”
“Really? Just that?”
“Yes...”
“Lee Yu-jin. You shouldn't lie.”
Mom’s voice turned slightly stern.
“You know your lies about your face are always obvious, right?”
“...”
“Tell me honestly. I want you to tell me in detail exactly how a famous PD, who sees top stars every day, evaluated my daughter.”
“What if it’s a despair you can’t handle?”
“I’m asking because I’m confident that won’t be the case. Hurry up and tell me. Word for word, exactly as it happened.”
I couldn't bring myself to tell her the literal truth, so I picked a suitable expression from Jang Hyun-soo’s words.
“He asked why I didn't go to an arts high school, and said I was someone meant to be an actor...”
“Is that all? I don’t think so.”
“He asked if I would appear as a supporting actor in the drama he’s preparing now.”
“The casting offer is a given, but I want to hear about your face. Don’t dodge the point, please.”
Mom showed no sign of giving up. I suppressed the goosebumps rising to my neck and finally managed to speak.
“He said I was the prettiest woman he’s ever seen.”
“And what else?”
“Uh, nothing. We only talked about the drama after that.”
“That’s a lie. There’s more. Come on, out with it. Tell Mom everything that PD said to praise my daughter’s face.”
“Mom, there really isn't anything else...”
My lie didn't work. In the end, I had to be thoroughly interrogated about every description the PD gave of my appearance until I felt lightheaded. As always, these kinds of conversations felt like my nerves were being shredded. It was physically draining.
“Hehe, I knew it. I guess he does have an eye for talent, being a famous PD and all. My daughter is obviously the prettiest in the world. Even Hollywood stars can’t compare.”
Having recovered some of my energy, I finally got to the main point.
“So, I’m thinking of appearing in his drama once, just for the experience.”
“What? Is that true?”
Mom was startled enough to jump. She hadn't been surprised at all when I said I received a casting offer earlier. Ah, I suppose getting scouted and turning it down was a daily occurrence for me.
“Are you really going to be in a drama?”
“Yes. So I was hoping you could come with me to the contract signing...”
“Of course! I’ll go! Oh, I finally get to see my daughter’s face on TV!”
It didn't feel like the right time to mention that it was a Netscreen original production and wouldn't be on TV. I had never seen Mom this happy in this life. She was so delighted that I felt a pang of guilt, as if I had been a bad daughter all this time.
“You know, right? Please keep it a secret from Dad and Yu-seok for now.”
“Yu-seok, obviously, but why Dad? He’d be so happy if he knew.”
“If Dad finds out, he’ll definitely send Yu-seok to overprotect me.”
“Ah, right. Okay, I’ll keep it between us.”
An irrepressible sense of anticipation sparkled in Mom’s eyes. It was a brilliant, almost overwhelming glow.
“So, my daughter, have you decided on acting as your career path?”
There was no need to tell her the truth—that I was only doing it once because of a hairpin worth 30 million won according to the National Appraiser.
“I’ll try it, and if it’s fun, I’ll keep going. If not, I’ll just dip my toes in and quit.”
“Good thinking. It’s good to experience various things when you’re young.”
Mom hugged me, overjoyed.
“My daughter, once you debut as an actress, won’t you be unable to go outside even with a mask? Should we sell the house and move somewhere with better security? We still have a lot left on the loan, though.”
*
Saturday.
I decided to visit the film set with Mom for the contract signing. We were going to sign the contract, look around the set, and greet the other actors and staff. Mom had pushed for an extremely glamorous style, saying I shouldn't be intimidated by the other actors, but...
“They say people look down on a minor rookie if they show up like that.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, Ji-hye told me. She said to just wear jeans and a solid-colored cotton T-shirt. And to avoid colors like red.”
I wore jeans and a white T-shirt. It felt a bit awkward since I rarely enjoyed slim-fit fashion. Mom stood behind me, looking at my reflection in the full-length mirror with pure delight.
“My daughter really has a pretty face, but how is her body line so beautiful too? Even though you’re my daughter, how did such a genetic combination happen?”
“I know, right? If you’d had that kind of luck with the lottery, you would’ve won the Mega Millions jackpot.”
“My daughter is worth hundreds of millions of times more than some American lottery jackpot. If I could go back in time and was asked, ‘Do you want 100 trillion won or Yu-jin?’ I would choose to have my Yu-jin every time.”
“What if you could only have one of me or Yu-seok?”
“...Please don’t put your mother through such a cruel test.”
We set off for the film set located on the outskirts of Gyeonggi-do in Mom’s car. It was a palace that served as the main stage for the drama, and it was built on a very grand scale for a set. PD Jang Hyun-soo was already waiting in the parking lot to greet us.
“Yu-jin, welcome. I suppose your mother, who was coming with you, is busy. Are you the lawyer who will help with the contract? Nice to meet you, I’m PD Jang Hyun-soo.”
I couldn't help but burst into a giggle. Mom also failed to hold back her laughter. Jang Hyun-soo looked bewildered, not knowing why we were laughing.
“Yu-jin? Ms. Lawyer? Why are you suddenly laughing... Did I make a mistake?”
“She’s not a lawyer. This is my mother.”
“Pardon?”
“She’s my biological mother, the one who gave birth to me.”
“...”
PD Jang Hyun-soo’s face went through a real-time rollercoaster of emotions. To think he could conjure up such a variety of expressions. Shouldn't he have been an actor instead of a PD?
“Ahaha, my Yu-jin doesn't look much like me, does she?”
“M-my apologies. I suppose Yu-jin takes after her father’s side a lot.”
“She doesn't look like her dad at all, either. Strangers think we’re unrelated.”
“...”
“When Yu-jin was growing up, she looked so different from both of us that we even did a paternity test. Right after she was born, I thought the babies had been switched at the hospital.”
“I-I see.”
Jang Hyun-soo’s eyes shook violently before he finally managed to calm down. We were led to a temporary building to sign the contract. We ran into actors and staff along the way, and I felt embarrassed because everyone was staring intently at my face. This body didn't just have good physical strength; all its senses were unnecessarily sensitive, so I could hear them whispering about me perfectly.
“Whoa, who is that? She’s crazy pretty.”
“Looks like a rookie actress. She’s no joke.”
“Ah, is she the one for the bodyguard role?”
“If they put her in a two-shot, won’t Yoon Se-rang end up with a humiliation shot?”
“That might actually happen...”
How embarrassing. I fanned my flushed face with my hand as I followed him.
“I’ve accessed the Korea Creative Content Agency site, and I’m going to print the standard contract here.”
Jang Hyun-soo showed us the entire process of printing the standard contract in detail. Mom meticulously reviewed the clauses once more, and Jang Hyun-soo explained the legal effect of each one.
“Since Lee Yu-jin is a high school student, I’ll add some special provisions that are more favorable to her.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“It’s only natural that I should look out for her.”
Once all three of us had finished signing, I officially became a member of the cast.
“Now that we’re one family, would you like to meet the other actors?”
“Has filming already started?”
“The child actor parts have already begun. Some of the adult actors happen to be here as well.”
Bang!
Just then, the door swung open noisily, and a sharp voice rang out as if huffing in frustration.
“PD-nim! I told you to just make my bodyguard a male actor! I don’t want to get into another war of nerves with some other actress and get caught up in rumors again—huh?”
A glamorous-looking woman was fuming until she suddenly saw me and went quiet. The excitement in her eyes vanished, replaced by a prickly wariness.
“PD-nim, this woman... she isn't the one, is she?”
“I was just about to introduce you. This is Lee Yu-jin, the bodyguard who will protect our Yoon Se-rang from evil spirits from now on.”
The woman’s gaze, which was anything but friendly, scanned me from head to toe in a split second.
“Which teacher did you go to?”
I didn't understand what she meant at all. Yoon Se-rang pressed me with an impatient look.
“Your plastic surgery and skin. Which doctor do you go to?”