Under the assault of that gaze, Taebin froze.
It was because the child’s moist eyes seemed ready to burst into tears at any moment.
“Did it hurt a lot? Does it still hurt now?”
“No. I’m okay now. But… if it keeps going like this, it might really hurt. Yeonwu keeps getting hit.”
“Ah, yeah, that’s true…”
Suhyeon, observing Taebin’s awkwardness, wondered how to broach the topic.
No, he pondered how to naturally bring up the “issue.”
I must have skipped an important step because I’m a child.
In reality, these violent scenes should had been coordinated beforehand.
Knowing where to slap and where to grab hair allowed for a more vivid performance.
The term rehearsal wasn’t coined without reason.
But they must have ignored the convention because I’m young.
Many in the entertainment industry expected acting skills from child actors but didn’t trust their abilities.
They forced children to imagine the death of their parents to capture a sad expression and then criticized them for being “child actors capable of only one-dimensional acting” after making them perform simplistic emotions.
No wonder child actors shine briefly and then fade away.
In the future, child actors were also taught to analyze characters and situations from a third person’s perspective, just like adult actors.
The system had changed systematically, and there were management agencies for that purpose.
However, in the current situation where child actors were considered expendable, such luxuries were hard to come by.
If the child actor’s role is important, adjustments should be made to match, but everyone treats them like mere seasoning and expects main role performances…
Even the PD, who was somewhat attentive to Suhyeon’s acting, treated child actors as if they were just a garnish, not remembering the need for rehearsal.
If Suhyeon wanted change, he had to take action himself.
Of course, being too forward and losing the innocence expected of a child isn’t good.
Even though they created that image, adults disliked children who were too shrewd and not pure.
Suhyeon knew the answer but agonized over it because of such dual attitudes of the adults.
He didn’t want to be marked negatively while trying to solve the problem.
Life often put you in situations where not catching two rabbits could lead to trouble.
“Noona.”
“Hm?”
Having found an appropriate excuse after some thought, Suhyeon smiled slyly at Taebin.
Contrary to his innocent appearance, he was quite calculating inside.
“I saw on TV, when they hit someone in a movie, they do it like this, and like this. Like this! They tell and start.”
“…That’s true.”
As Suhyeon gestured like he was hitting, swinging his short arms, Taebin, who had been momentarily distracted by the cute gesture, nodded her head a beat too late.
Suhyeon didn’t miss that reaction.
“Then let’s do that too!”
“Ah, huh? Practice it?”
“Yes!”
Before Taebin could reply, he grabbed her hand and lifted it above his head.
And he shook it left and right.
“Right, left, right.”
“You don’t have to do it like this……”
“Noona, you have to be enthusiastic! Like this!”
“Uh-huh. Like this, right?”
“Yes! And then here, bam!”
“Bam, and let go?”
“Yes!”
As his playful rehearsal continued, a small smile spread across Taebin’s previously stiff face.
Reading the relaxed atmosphere, Suhyeon rode the momentum once more.
“And noona, for the scene we’re about to shoot, I don’t think it’s necessary to grab my hair and do the same as before.”
“…Huh?”
“Since they’re only filming you. I’m short, so even if my arm is seen shaking, you won’t see what’s holding it, so wouldn’t it be better to just shake empty handed or hold something similar and pretend?”
“Ah… That’s true. Why didn’t I think of that?”
Taebin blinked her large eyes, looking like she had just been hit.
Although the adults’ height allowed for back shots to be filmed, Suhyeon, who was less than half her size, stayed out of the frame.
There was no issue acting without actually grabbing his hair.
“Minsik, come here for a sec.”
“Why?”
“To the director…”
Having found a solution, Taebin quickly called over her manager to discuss some things.
Suhyeon shifted his gaze from her and stared at the clock in the corner of the set.
The time hadn’t even passed noon yet.
The shoot was just beginning.
* * *
“What’s up, kid? You a single mother?”
“…Why does that matter? It’s none of your business.”
The man who appeared with “Seohee” stopped in his tracks when he saw “Yeonwu.”
He scrunched up his face in disgust and gave “Seohee” a disdainful look as if she were dirty.
“It is my business. Ugh, there are so many girls these days who have kids and then tell the fathers to take responsibility… Don’t bother contacting me; I’ve blocked your number.”
“…Hey!”
“Mommy…”
Once the man had left, “Seohee,” with her eyes bulging in anger, distorted her face as she gasped for breath.
Maybe “Yeonwu” sensed the upcoming commotion, because he shrank back and began to step away from her.
“Aaaah!”
“Huhuh, oh, mommy…….”
“I told you not to get noticed!”
“I, I’m so s-sorry.”
“Seohee” strode toward the child and, out of habit, grabbed “Yeonwu’s” hair and shook it.
The child kept apologizing with his unclear speech, but his pleas didn’t reach his mother.
“Cut!”
As Taebin moved out of the frame, the PD called out “cut.”
The suffocating atmosphere was instantly relieved, and Suhyeon, who had been sobbing on the floor, got up as if nothing had happened.
“Wow, I was wandering around earlier, worried about how tough today would be, but that intensity was…”
“Choi Taebin’s got a strong voice. I’m worried she might have strained it.”
“Well, that’s what post-recording is for.”
Suhyeon perked up his ears at the staff’s murmuring.
The opinion that “she’s a voice actor and even after five years she can’t do facial expressions” had somehow become “she’s overflowing with powerful voice because she’s a voice actor.”
“What was the name of the kid playing Yeonwu? Suhyeon? Woohyeon?”
“Kang Suhyeon. He’s in commercials these days, you know.”
“He’s young but he acts well.”
“…If you’re going to stay in the industry, you should look at other dramas too. He’s the hottest child actor right now.”
Suhyeon covered his mouth, which had involuntarily twisted into a smirk.
He couldn’t be caught eavesdropping, but he couldn’t help the grin spreading across his face.
Hottest, huh? Even if the word “child” is in front of it, I’m still the trend, right? Kekeke…
He had switched to acting at the peak of his career but had an accident before he could fully enjoy it.
Perhaps because he hadn’t fully realized it, Suhyeon always felt delighted whenever he confirmed his popularity.
Besides, being noticed by industry insiders is very important for a child actor.
Child actors were in less demand compared to adults, and without standing out, their careers often ended after one or two roles.
The fact that he was still talked about despite only recently appearing in commercials proved that he was recognized as a valuable and usable card.
“Suhyeon, you weren’t hurt, were you?”
“No. It didn’t hurt at all because you did exactly as you prepared earlier.”
“Aw, our Suhyeon speaks so prettily.”
Taebin looked at Suhyeon with a face that said she couldn’t deal with how cute he was.
Any guilt she might have felt at the beginning of the shoot was gone.
Through numerous rehearsals, she had come to accept Suhyeon’s pained expression as an act.
The filming had been delayed a bit because of the rehearsals, but since that also reduced the number of NGs and retakes, the production staff did not rush them.
“It certainly felt like I could be more aggressive with my hands since we had prepared properly.”
“Right! Noona, you were so tr, trashy? Ah! Like trash!”
“Uh, um… Thanks for the compliment. You were cute, too. And your cheeks are so squishy!”
“I can’t believe you’re saying that…”
“Look at that slip of the tongue.”
When Suhyeon cheekily spouted nonsense, she pinched his cheek just enough not to hurt and shook it.
A touch mixed with a spoonful of love and a pinch of mischief warmed his cheek.
“Anyway. I think we managed to get through the tough scenes today thanks to Suhyeon suggesting we rehearse.”
“I just mentioned it because I saw it before.”
“Being able to say the right thing at the right time is a big strength. Not everyone can do that.”
“Yeah.”
“…Was that too hard to understand? It just means Suhyeon is the best.”
“Hehe.”
Taebin smiled brightly at Suhyeon’s laugh, looking at him with warm eyes.
Although she didn’t say it out loud, she was feeling grateful to him.
Though it was brief, I even wondered if I should quit acting…
As the director called for a break and let out a small sigh, Taebin had been contemplating whether she could survive as an actor.
It’s been five years since she switched to acting.
She hasn’t received harsh criticism, but she couldn’t say she has stood out either.
Even though she always smiled brightly and helped others out due to her nature, she felt a slight pressure building up each time she saw those younger actors who used to flutter around her now ranking above.
I thought this was barely a turning point. We had such great chemistry during practice.
Perhaps it was because of the recent streak of good luck.
Those reproachful glares stung deeper and, at times, they weakened her.
Taebin’s gloom lifted thanks to Suhyeon’s adorable actions.
Whether it was intentional or not, it was naturally something to be grateful for.
“Suhyeon, wanna take a picture with noona? Noona’s been into Facebook lately. Oh, do you even know what Facebook is? Hmm…”
“I like taking pictures!”
“That’s commendable.”
As Taebin extended her phone, Suhyeon looked into the opaque screen and flashed an adorable smile.
With the screen aligned perfectly with the lens, there was no risk of losing focus.
“Wow, every picture screams that Suhyeon is the star.”
“Noona is pretty too.”
“Ah, what am I going to do with you?”
“Dinner is ready! Come and eat!”
“Oh! Let’s set down our gear and eat first.”
While the two enjoyed a harmonious break taking pictures, a staff member called the production team.
Eagerly waiting for the meal, the movement of the PD and staff was swift.
“Let’s go too. It’s only this relaxed today because it’s the first day of shooting. Later on, we won’t even have time to enjoy a peaceful dinner like this.”
“Yes.”
With a pat from Taebin, Suhyeon joined the moving line.
With a challenging schedule ahead, it was important to eat well.
* * *
“Suhyeon, good job today. See you tomorrow.”
“Thank you for your work!”
Despite being the first day, the shooting went on until late.
To be exact, Suhyeon’s part was done at 7 p.m.
“I’m leaving now. Thank you for today.”
“Take care.”
Suhyeon, wrapped up like a little bear in his bulky coat, waved his arms, which seemed twice their normal size, in farewell.
The staff, finding Suhyeon adorable in his getup, nonetheless hurried him along.
After all, just because one lead actor was going home didn’t mean the filming was over.
The set was brightly lit with lights as the staff scurried about busily.
“Great work today, Actor Kang Suhyeon.”
“Hyung, you barely came by today.”
“I was caught up talking with Actor Choi Taebin. If I’m going to be just a backdrop anyway, it’s better to lure the other staff over.”
“You really…”
“Oh, and…”
While Suhyeon was rolling his eyes at his manager’s diligence, Sangil let out a small exclamation as if he’d just remembered something.
“Your mother’s here.”
“My mother? Mom?”
“Suhyeon!”
At the familiar voice, Suhyeon turned to find himself engulfed in softness accompanied by rapid footsteps. The familiar scent of soap reached his nose.
“Mom?”
“My Suhyeon worked hard today! Are you very cold?”
“Uh… I was just about to head home…”
“I finished work for today. I had just enough time to come and look after my son. Thank you, Mr. Sangil.”
“It’s nothing. I’m paid to do it.”
Suhyeon wrapped his arms around Jiyeon’s neck, being embraced by her. He was dumbfounded by her actions, as there was no reason for her to have come to meet him.
…I guess this could happen, huh. Ah.
Even though he thought he was used to his family’s affection, he would stiffen up when faced with an unexpected situation.
Nonetheless, because his mother’s embrace was warm, Suhyeon quietly lay in Jiyeon’s arms.
