Pen and Paper Translations

I took a seat right in front of the huge screen covering one whole wall of the restaurant.

I was bouncing my legs, wishing the broadcast would hurry up and start, when the staff came over and spoke to me.

“Siwoo, you really look like a prince today.”

“The number-one contributor to our drama’s success! How do you feel?”

“Hehehe.”

People kept saying I had come looking so pretty today, so I took lots of photos with them and signed plenty of autographs too.

Most autographs were done in English, which meant I could make mine look very stylish, so it was one of the things I liked doing.

I felt like I had heard people tell me a hundred times that they had loved my acting and that they were so sad it was ending like this.

I was truly the center of attention!

I was blissfully enjoying all the attention pouring in from the staff.

“Whoa, Siwoo. Look at this. They said this place is famous for lobster, and it came out whole! It’s huge!”

My uncle, who had been excited since yesterday about what kind of food would come out at this dazzling wrap party, was busy making a fuss beside me.

Cha Ilnam had said the KMB station director was treating everyone properly, and sure enough, incredible dishes were coming out one after another.

Whether Uncle made a fuss or not, I ignored him and continued enjoying the lingering glow.

Now that filming for the drama was over, there probably wouldn’t be many chances for me to receive this much heated attention for a while.

“Mhm, Uncle, eat lots.”

“Aren’t you going to eat, Siwoo?”

“Phew, I’m so full right now I don’t need to eat anything…”

Everything was perfect at the moment, and since he kept talking to me, I was about to tell him to stop.

Until I heard my uncle mutter after peeling out the meat from a well-cooked lobster.

“Wow… This is better than steak.”

“Uncle. Peel this one and that one for me too.”

I held out my small plate and pointed at the butter-grilled one and the steamed one.

Better than steak?

Ha, seriously. This had better be true.

“Hahaha, just wait a second.”

As if he had known this would happen, Uncle cheerfully cracked open the hard shells and peeled out plenty of the meat for me.

Wow……. For once, Uncle had said something truly correct.

It was so delicious.

As I ate happily and exchanged greetings with the staff, I saw Kang Sujeong, who had finally arrived, coming toward me.

Behind her, I could also see Moon Heeseong, who had finished making a round through the restaurant to greet everyone.

“Siwoo, isn’t your outfit way too perfect today?”

For even Kang Sujeong to admire me like this.

Hmph. My mother’s eye really was a little exceptional.

When I said I was attending the wrap party, Kim Sangcheol introduced us to his regular salon and told us to get ready there today.

I had gone there holding Uncle’s and Mother’s hands.

At the salon, Mother picked out a clean, well-tailored tuxedo from among the clothes they had prepared, and it seemed to have been an excellent choice.

Maybe it was also because I had paid a little more attention than usual to styling my hair.

Everyone I met made a fuss, saying I looked wonderful today.

“You too, noona.”

“It’s been a while, so I put in some effort at the salon. But I don’t think I should stand next to you, Siwoo.”

“Oh, there’s no way.”

Kang Sujeong had come in a stylish two-piece outfit, with even her hair styled in a way completely different from Han Jihae. She was practically radiating the aura of an actress.

“Siwoo, now that the drama is over, you can’t stop contacting me, okay?”

“I heard you’re already preparing for your next movie, noona. Aren’t you the one who’ll be busier?”

“News travels fast… No matter how busy I am, I have time to talk acting with you.”

Wow… For a moment, the nightmare of our waiting-room time flashed through my mind.

“Haha, Siwoo is popular today too.”

It seemed I had failed to control my expression.

All that had passed through my mind was the thought that rest might not actually be rest.

Seeing Moon Heeseong, who was beside us, laugh as if my face amused him…

I quickly fixed my expression.

“Siwoo… hi?”

While Choi Taewoo had also joined from a little farther off and everyone was laughing and chatting, Nam Yeonsu appeared last among the main cast.

“Oh, hyung, you’re here? You’re late.”

“Mhm. I went to Cheongdam-dong today, but there was a bit of traffic…”

At a glance, it was clear Nam Yeonsu had dressed himself up a lot for today too.

He said he had woken up early in the morning to visit a salon in Cheongdam-dong, and his face looked a little tired.

“Hello, I’m sorry I’m a little late. Yes, hello.”

After seating Nam Yeonsu beside me, Nam Yeonsu’s manager was busy belatedly greeting every single person.

“Hey, Manager Kim. Let’s talk for a second.”

“Yes! Sunbae-nim. Yeonsu, wait here, all right? I’ll go talk for a bit and come back.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Then he was called away by another actor’s manager.

Once Nam Yeonsu’s manager disappeared too, only the two of us were left.

I planned to ask him everything I had been curious about.

After he suddenly sent that text saying he couldn’t appear on the variety show, I had barely been able to get in touch with Nam Yeonsu.

Now that filming was finished, there had been no reason for us to meet, and I had been wondering how he was doing.

“What happened?”

“Uh, um…?”

“I mean the variety show. Didn’t you really want to do it?”

I had a rough idea of what had happened, but I asked anyway.

At my question, Nam Yeonsu fidgeted and could not answer properly before finally opening his mouth.

“I’m sorry…. Dad told me not to do it… I was the one who asked you to do it first, but then I couldn’t even go to the meeting. You must have been really surprised, right?”

“Well… that part is fine. But what about you, hyung?”

“Hm?”

“Are you okay?”

At my question, Nam Yeonsu’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Then he smiled softly and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m just sad I can’t go with you. They say I’ll probably start a movie. Like a first-rate actor, right? Ha….”

His face as he smiled and talked about being a first-rate actor still looked awkward.

There was a hint of resignation in it too.

I could still clearly remember how he had called me and practically bounced around with joy, saying he was happy we would get to film a variety show together. But now, he was smiling again as if everything was fine.

Feeling frustrated, I ended up speaking bluntly.

“This time it may only be a variety show, but if you keep going like that, hyung, you won’t become a first-rate actor.”

“Uh…?”

Perhaps my words had startled him badly, because Nam Yeonsu’s eyes shook without mercy.

Going into whatever project he was told to do, not doing anything he was told not to do.

Even his acting had to follow only the scripts packed densely with notes.

Would that really be enough?

The Nam Yeonsu I had seen was clearly a child overflowing with talent.

“Hyung, I’ll ask you again. You have to answer me honestly.”

“…”

“Are you really okay?”

At my repeated question, Nam Yeonsu slowly shook his head.

Looking utterly dejected, he could not even bring himself to lift his head and sat there quietly.

As I watched him, I barely swallowed the sigh that was about to burst out of me, when a noisy voice drifted over from the side.

“Oh my goodness! The two child actors who contributed the most to this drama’s success are gathered right here!”

I wondered what was going on, and then I saw a large camera behind the woman with the loud voice.

And on that camera was the unmistakable logo of KMB Broadcasting Station.

Ah. Right.

Come to think of it, Cha Ilnam had said that KMB’s entertainment news program, Entertainment Info Hub, was coming to cover the wrap party today.

I immediately put on a bright smile and looked at the reporter, who introduced herself as Choi Rin.

“Hello.”

“…Hello.”

At my lively greeting, Nam Yeonsu snapped back to himself too, smiled, and greeted her.

Though his face was still a little stiff.

So that was why it had been so noisy over there earlier.

While we were quietly talking, it seemed they had finished interviewing the other actors and come over to us.

“Oh my! Our little actors! Noona enjoyed the drama so much!”

“Hehe, thank you.”

“It’s an honor.”

When Nam Yeonsu and I both answered politely, Choi Rin nodded with a pleased smile.

“You’re still only six and eight years old, so how are you both so good at acting?”

“Haha, thank you.”

“Maybe I was born with it?”

Beside Nam Yeonsu, who modestly lowered his head, I cupped one cheek with my chubby little hand and said that.

At the sight, Choi Rin and the staff watching us clutched at their hearts.

“C-cute…”

Hm. Nice reaction.

With a satisfied expression, I lowered my hand.

“Seeing you like this, it seems the two of you are really close in real life too. Are you sad that it’s over?”

“I’m really sad!”

“The time went by so fast.”

“Ah, so the two of you felt the same way. Actress Kang Sujeong and Mr. Choi Taewoo, whom I just interviewed, said the same thing~”

One formal question after another passed by.

Since there was still time before the broadcast began, it seemed they were holding little events like this.

Maybe Nam Yeonsu had even received training for interviews, because he answered calmly and neatly without showing any sign of being flustered.

Every answer was modest and perfectly textbook.

“Then, one final question for our little actors! You weren’t just child actors appearing briefly, but leads who filmed all the way to the end, so it must have been very hard. Now that the drama is over, is there anything the two of you want to do?”

They had probably asked the other actors this question too.

But since the two of us were still children, they were surely expecting something different from us.

Something very cute and innocent.

I wondered what kind of answer I should give, then a good idea suddenly flashed through my mind.

If I handled this well, I might be able to change Nam Yeonsu’s situation with a single sentence.

My thoughts quickly sorted themselves out, and now it was time to act.

Before Nam Yeonsu could answer, I jumped in first.

“Ah, for me…”

“I think I’ll be doing a variety show with Yeonsu-hyung!”

“Uh, uh…?”

At my answer, Nam Yeonsu could not say anything and only blinked in confusion.

And at the unexpected answer, Choi Rin brought the microphone close to me with an intrigued look.

“A variety show? The two of you together?”

“Yes! It’s a program by PD Kim Sanho? Yeonsu-hyung said he wanted to do it too, and I think it’ll be really fun, so I’m looking forward to it!”

I openly spilled everything.

Seeing me, Choi Rin looked excited, as if she had caught a proper scoop.

However, Uncle, who had heard my answer from a little distance away, was startled and rushed over.

“S-Siwoo!”

“Tch.”

I looked at Uncle and shut my mouth.

After making sure I kept quiet, Uncle hurriedly spoke to Choi Rin.

“I’m sorry. I think it would be better if that didn’t air. We haven’t finished discussing it with PD Kim yet. Haha.”

“Ah, of course.”

At Uncle’s deeply flustered words, Choi Rin answered that she understood with a businesslike smile.

That’s right. Choi Rin had exactly the look I was hoping for.

On the other hand, Uncle grabbed me right away and cried out almost like he was screaming.

Though of course, he screamed a little quietly.

“Siwoo, you can’t say things like that…!”

I subtly looked away from Uncle, who was holding both my shoulders and shaking me back and forth. This time, Nam Yeonsu, who had been sitting beside me, turned pale and spoke timidly.

“S-Siwoo. What are you talking about? I told you I can’t do it!”

“Hyung.”

“Uh, uh……?”

“You said you wanted to do it. Right?”

This could not go on as it was.

I decided to push forward firmly.

“That was then… I…”

“Just wait. If you want to do it…”

Cutting off Nam Yeonsu’s words, I took out my phone and called someone.

Beside me, Uncle and Nam Yeonsu watched with nervous faces, as if wondering what kind of accident I was about to cause this time.

“PD Kim Sanho! It’s Siwoo. I just said something during an interview…”

I cheerfully called out to Kim Sanho through the receiver and told him, one thing after another, what had just happened.

At that, the faces of Uncle and Nam Yeonsu, who were watching from beside me, filled with shock.

“PD-nim?”

-Uh…

Maybe he was thinking, because Kim Sanho did not answer for a moment.

Come on, this man.

He’s slow.

If I’d thrown him this much bait, he had to bite.

-Siwoo. You said it was Reporter Choi Rin, right?

“Yes, that’s right. KMB’s Entertainment Info Hub.”

-Okay, got it. Don’t worry about it. Yeah. Let’s hang up!

I looked down at the phone Kim Sanho had hung up in a hurry and grinned.

They said he was capable, so with this much groundwork laid out for him, he should know how to make good use of it.

After ending the call, I smiled brightly at the two people staring blankly at only me and said,

“Don’t worry too much. Let’s wait a little.”