episode_0125

On the way back home after the event.

“Sigh… I’m exhausted.”

“Hahaha, you did a great job. I was worried about Director Kim’s temper, but it seems like all of his attention was drawn to Doyeon.”

In other words, I managed to attract all of Kim Sion’s attention.

After the event, I briefly met him. He mentioned that he had something to discuss with me, so the writer Lee Youngwoo suggested that I go shopping for a bit. (Actually, he said I could leave first, but it seemed like my steps wouldn’t easily move away, probably due to my distrust of Director Kim.)

As soon as he saw me, he seemed to have a different look in his eyes, asking if I had ever thought about trying acting, as he was looking for a face that would suit his next project.

“I’m really grateful for your kind words. I’m just an ordinary office worker and a housewife. Just, um… maybe a little pretty? Hehe.”

I blushed a bit after saying that.

“Well, anyway…”

Director Kim seemed like he wanted to say something with a disappointed expression, but I interrupted him.

“Director, this may sound presumptuous, but don’t be swayed by appearances. Honestly, yes. I did have some prejudices when I first saw you. I thought you were a bit arrogant. But after seeing your work, my thoughts have changed a lot. If you can express such inner emotions of humans, you must be a very sensitive person. That’s what I think. Anyway, what you see of me is just the surface. You don’t know what I’m thinking, what I want, what I can or cannot do. You don’t know.”

“Well, that may be true.”

Above all.

“And honestly, I’m not interested.”

Yes, the gossip was long, but this was the most important reason. You need to have enthusiasm for what you want to do.

Director Kim rolled his eyes at my clear rejection, then sighed deeply and spoke with a relieved expression.

“Well, it can’t be helped. If you don’t like my proposal, that’s the end of it. But if you happen to change your mind or have something to discuss, please call this number.”

Saying that, Director Kim handed me his business card. While publicly acknowledging his talent as a director, privately, Lee Youngwoo had heard rumors about his complicated relationships with women, which made me feel a bit uneasy.

But in social life, you have to endure such things when necessary. That’s how it goes after 15 years of working in society.

“Yes, hahaha.”

I also took out a business card from my bag and handed it to him.

He casually accepted it and glanced at it with widened eyes.

“Oh, you’re a team leader at a mid-sized company, so it’s worth rejecting my offer. Yes, hahaha. Oh, I’m embarrassed.”

Wait, this person?

“Oh, it’s not because of those conditions. I just don’t have the confidence or desire to do it…”

“Well… Anyway, I’ll contact you next time.”

Honestly, there would be no reason for a successful film director to contact me. It was probably just a polite gesture.

“Haha, yes. Oh, by the way, please get along well with writer Lee Youngwoo. It’s a bit awkward to see your bitter expression whenever the director is mentioned.”

“Oh, that guy…”

It seemed like they were on good terms outside of work. I don’t know why they ended up like that, but personally, I hope they can be friends again and work together on projects.

You may not know, but those who enjoyed the work we did together will probably be quite a few. Why is that? It’s like, not a huge hit, but the kind of independent film that gains popularity through word of mouth and becomes a success.

I hadn’t watched it myself, but I have a vivid memory of enjoying it a lot because Davin actively recommended it. It was even more welcoming to see that film in Lee Young-woo’s filmography.

“I don’t know what happened, but in reality, such things can be resolved more easily than you think with just one conversation. Still, sending each other premiere tickets doesn’t mean we’ve completely turned our backs on each other, right?”

“Well… I’ll take care of that part.”

Seeing him blush, it seems a bit embarrassing. In fact, even adult fights are not a big deal. As long as it doesn’t escalate to extremes, we can somehow recover.

“By the way, how did you meet that hyung?”

He asked suddenly, as if he had just remembered.

“Well….”

**

“So, what did you answer?”

“Hehe, what do you think I said?”

On the way back home after the premiere. Eventually, it got late, so we decided to have dinner together and take a walk around the apartment complex and ended up heading to the neighborhood park.

And as we walked slowly through the park, he asked me about the conversation I had with Director Kim Sion earlier.

Of course, he kept the request to get close to him, something that parents wouldn’t even do these days, a secret.

“Haha… Well, if you’re curious, will you tell me?”

“Hehe, it’s a secret!”

I said with a smile, placing my index finger on my lips.

“Really… You seem to have a mischievous side, too.”

In response to my answer,

“No. It’s just that….”

“But I feel a bit disappointed. You tell Director Kim Sion everything you see for the first time today, but keep it a secret from me.”

He looked genuinely upset, furrowing his brows, so I quickly covered his mouth and said,

“Stop it! I said ‘secret!’ That’s what I meant. What were you thinking?”

“Huh?”

“Yeah.”

Facing him with a bewildered expression, I nodded my head once.

“Oh, um, that. Well….”

His face turned red, and he kept repeating phrases like ‘oh, um, well’ as if something had malfunctioned.

“Oh, you’re teasing me. You look so flustered.”

“Ha, hahaha… You’re really mischievous.”

The author, Lee Young-woo, said again, this time with a different meaning.

“Is that so? Hmm… It seems like my personality has changed a bit.”

I’ve definitely felt it recently, but since becoming a woman, my personality has changed quite a bit. Whether it’s due to infidelity, divorce, or TS syndrome, I’m not sure, but I’ve become much brighter and more subdued when it’s dark.

In short, could it be that my bipolar disorder has worsened?

And it seems like I’ve become a bit more mischievous, overall brighter.

I remember Da-yeong once saying something like that.

“Mom, why are you so cute?”

Of course, Da-yeong, who said that to me, was thoroughly punished. Who says such things to an adult?

“Well… I’ve seen it somewhere.”

Suddenly, author Lee Young-woo brought up a fortune.

“He said on stage. That… ”

Ah, he’s talking about when I revealed myself as a fool on stage.

“But that was a mistake.”

“Well, Do-yeon seems to have a bit of a mischievous side, but it doesn’t feel sloppy, does it?”

What, what? What is this guy talking about in front of people about me having a mischievous side?

“Thank goodness.”

“…What?”

“It seems like Do-yeon is surrounded by good people.”

There is a saying that you should cover the wounds you receive from people with people. Wounds do not heal. They are just covered up. Just when you think they have healed, they suddenly start throbbing again, revealing their presence.

But as long as the wound is covered, living without acknowledging that wound was what it meant to be human.

Good people…

Immediately, Dayoung and Davin came to mind. My lovely children. They are the beings that serve as the biggest purpose and measure of my life. And my parents, Sooyeon, Sanggi, my nieces and nephews, and other family members. Next are my friends. Hyunsoo, Cheolsoo, Kangsoo.

I can’t leave out the people from work either. Manager Kang, Director Kwon, Mr. Kim Taehyun. Honestly, even though the time spent with Mr. Kim Taehyun was the shortest, lately, it felt like we were getting closer than the other two.

Various contacts from the fitness center and other places also crossed my mind.

And among them, there was definitely a place for him.

“You’re also one of them, writer. Um…quite a significant one, maybe?”

“Me? Haha. Thank you, but I’m not that great of a person…”

“Again, again. Actually, it doesn’t matter what you did before. I don’t want to know.”

“Just because you’re a good person to me. That’s how I see it.”

Saying that, as if not wanting to hear more, he walked ahead first.

*Sigh!*

And following behind, the expression on author Lee Youngwoo’s face somehow seemed like I would know even without turning back. In silence, we walked through the tree-lined park for a while. Then, suddenly, a clear space opened up, and I felt the night sky coming into view.

“Ah! The moon looks beautiful~”

It was a story of a night with a full moon.