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Chapter 23
The child actor portion was slowly coming to an end.
After finishing today’s filming, I didn’t leave right away but stayed on set.
“It’s Adult Doyeon!”
Because our schedules never matched before, I hadn’t had a chance to see actor Park Yeon-hee’s adult Doyeon, but today, finally, the opportunity had arrived.
To finally see adult Doyeon’s performance—it felt like my body, which had been drained and exhausted until just a moment ago, was suddenly full of energy.
“Saey, drink this.”
Director Woo Byun-hwa handed me a drink. My throat had been dry, so I gratefully took it.
“You said you wanted to see adult Doyeon, right?”
“Yes!”
“Her acting passion is incredible. Don’t lose that fire.”
Maybe it was just my imagination, but the director’s gaze, which had been sharp and piercing for a while, seemed slightly gentler now.
Just as my heart was pounding and my feet tapped nervously, Park Yeon-hee arrived on set.
‘Why does her expression look so dark?’
Thinking back, Park Yeon-hee’s complexion had been strangely gloomy even during the last script reading.
I had always heard she had a bright, cheerful personality, so it felt odd.
Now that I think about it, it was around the time I had just become an adult. Park Yeon-hee, who had been doing so well, suddenly disappeared from the public eye.
Was she in a slump, and that’s why she looked so gloomy?
“Ready… Action!”
In any case, the first take of the scene began. I was stretching my neck to watch adult Doyeon from afar.
“Child Doyeon~ Was that you, Ju Saey? Your acting was amazing!”
“Ah, thank you!”
“You haven’t joined an agency yet, right?”
Huh?
A company representative who had been trailing Park Yeon-hee during her setup suddenly spoke to me. He handed me a business card and disappeared.
‘Ah, I didn’t get to see adult Doyeon!’
Do agency staff usually do that while their actor is filming? I didn’t really know because I was still new to the scene.
I glanced at the business card in my hand.
[Mora Planning – Team Leader Kim Song-jun]
Mora Planning.
It felt strangely familiar, like when I first heard the name Woonsun-ha. Was there some issue?
“Cut! Yeon-hee, were you not focused enough? Let’s try one more time!”
Ah, so we had to film again.
Determined to finally see adult Doyeon, I stood up… just then.
“Give that here…!”
Park Yeon-hee ran toward me, shouting fiercely, and snatched the business card from my hand.
She glanced around, as if checking for the company staff nearby, and in an instant, tore the card into pieces.
“…!”
Why would she suddenly rush over and tear up a business card?
In disbelief, I looked first at Park Yeon-hee, then at the shredded fragments of the card.
“You, Saey, never deal with this place.”
“Huh? No, why—?”
“If I say don’t, then don’t!”
We hadn’t even talked properly because of different filming schedules, yet she called me “Saey” and forbade me.
If someone not close to me is reacting so strongly, there has to be a reason. And this is her own agency.
One reason could be that the company is too controlling and wants to monopolize its talent. Another…
‘Was there some controversy?’
I retraced the memories of my past life in front of Park Yeon-hee.
Park Yeon-hee. Mora Planning. Kim Song-jun.
After thinking for a while, a news article flashed through my mind.
It was an article about Park Yeon-hee filing a lawsuit against Team Leader Kim Song-jun and the CEO of Mora Planning.
Specifically, it was about how they habitually made excessive demands of her, and when she refused, threatened her with contract violations, leading her to take the case to court.
‘Why did I forget this!’
I had heard Park Yeon-hee won the lawsuit. I had expected her to return to acting, so it was strange that she disappeared for a while.
Mora Planning had a reputation for making young Park Yeon-hee a famous actress, but after the scandal, it was crushed and treated like garbage.
Some malicious netizens even criticized her, calling her ungrateful for suing the agency that had nurtured her.
‘I think I understand why she disappeared and didn’t return to the entertainment industry…’
There must have been countless comments like that, but it’s not surprising she lost faith in the industry.
“Yeon-hee, let’s resume filming!”
Because the lead suddenly stepped away, the staff called for Park Yeon-hee. She had no choice but to return to the camera, though she kept glancing at me.
“Team Leader Kim, never get involved with that jerk!”
“….”
“Did you hear me?”
Even though we barely knew each other, she went out of her way to warn me.
Actually, since it wasn’t about her work or her close associates, she could have ignored it.
She could have just glanced and thought, ‘That kid’s going to step in it. Too bad,’ and walked away.
“…Thanks for the advice.”
Some might call it meddling, but I was genuinely moved by her concern.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one touched. A teacher waiting for the next shoot slowly approached me, as if having watched the situation from afar.
“Yeon-hee is a good person and hardworking, but unfortunately… her company won’t let her go.”
“Ah…”
In this industry, it was still common to trap young, naive actors in exploitative contracts. Park Yeon-hee was likely one of those victims.
I hoped she had at least managed to terminate her contract safely…
“You’re talking about senior Yeon-hee? Her acting is amazing too, right?”
“Yes. Among her peers, she’s one of the few truly talented ones.”
Recently, she seemed a bit drained because of the company… the teacher muttered in a small voice.
‘Her wings were clipped because of the company.’
A young, budding talent. Nearly crushed because she met the wrong company.
‘This is exactly the kind of story Chairman Ju Taebaek would love.’
…Maybe I should tell Grandpa about it.
School started at 9 a.m.
It was currently 6 a.m.
And I…
“Off I go.”
I politely greeted the aunties at Jaedamjae and headed toward the gate.
Even though it would take only about thirty minutes from home to school, I had a reason for leaving at six.
‘No way!’
To shake off Ryu Do-kyung, who insisted on coming all the way to Jaedamjae to ride the bus with me.
By now, it had been three days of leaving this early.
Because I was so early, the bus was relatively empty. At least I could sit, so thank goodness.
Being a prestigious private high school, a few third-year seniors in gym clothes were also arriving. The serious “regular exam fighters,” I guess.
I passed through the second-year hallway, peeking into other classrooms. Most were still dark since no one had arrived yet.
But our classroom was different.
Drreeuk, thud.
Sliding open the door, I was greeted by…
“….”
Scratch that. No greeting.
Although not exactly welcoming, my usual early-arriving desk mate, Woon Sung-ha, was lying face down asleep beside me.
I didn’t want to wake him, so I just sat next to him, focusing on my script.
I used to try talking to him when he woke up, but now… I just got ignored, and it was embarrassing.
I took my script out of my bag. My child actor scenes were nearly finished.
So the portion I was reading was for after the transition to adult Doyeon, especially the grand finale episode.
Wiping my hands on my school skirt, I reverently flipped open the cover of the script.
At that moment…
Ping!
A CocoaTalk notification rang.
I didn’t even need to look. It was obviously Ryu Do-kyung. By now, he must have arrived at Jaedamjae.
Sure enough.
[Ju Saey]
[Are you enjoying going alone these past few days without me?]
…What would happen if I answered that, yes, I’m actually enjoying going to school peacefully?
Just imagining Ryu Do-kyung approaching me, exuding pure frost, gave me goosebumps.
‘Better to keep my reply for now.’
He was probably still at Jaedamjae, and my mood to read the script was already ruined.
I stood up and left the classroom, heading for the school store!
‘My previous school didn’t even have a store!’
Since transferring after returning, I had been eager to enjoy the high school store experience. My heart raced, and my steps quickened.
[On my way to class, so wait quietly.]
I had no idea there was an unread message from Ryu Do-kyung.
