NOVEL WEB Chapter 8
5 Years Old (8)
– Buuueeeeng
Seriously, why won’t it stop?
“What should I do? Shouldn’t I go and make it stop crying?”
“What if her eyes swell up?”
“But isn’t it kind of cute that she’s crying?”
“Someone go comfort her.”
My crying must have been so loud that the filming staff has all turned to look at me.
– Buuueeeeng
Since the tears just won’t stop, I really feel like I’m about to break down.
This is maddening.
It’s my body, but I can’t control it.
Even Mom seems to be sensing the stares around her and is trying to comfort me quickly.
“Do-hee, look at Mom! Peek-a-boo~”
“…? Buuueeeeng.”
What kind of peek-a-boo is this?
Do they really think I’m a baby?
As my crying continues, someone who looks like an advertiser approaches.
“Princess, why are you crying like this~?”
– Buuueeeeng
Calling me a princess, damn it, I’m doomed, huaaa!
As I cry, my throat feels tight.
I instinctively grabbed the aloe juice next to me.
And as soon as I took a sip, my crying stopped.
Huh? Why did it stop?
Tears that wouldn’t stop now halted as my mouth was full.
I should’ve covered my mouth sooner.
– Clap clap clap –
Suddenly, the Director, who had been watching from afar, starts clapping.
What the?
The staff look at the Director as if they’re dumbfounded.
“We don’t need to film any more commercials; let’s go with this scene.”
Huh?
“Since we captured everything on camera, let’s edit it and send it out as it is. Everyone, get ready to clock out.”
Director, what did you just say?
You’re going to use this for a commercial?
Are you planning to kill me off?
“Even a crying child can be soothed in one sip with our kids’ health drink. Let’s go with this!”
Hearing the Director’s words, the staff seem to agree and start preparing to pack up the set.
Why is no one suggesting we film it again?
What about my permission?
Hey, advertiser, why are you just watching? You’re not going to do any work?
But contrary to my wishes, the advertiser nods in satisfaction.
– Buuueeeeng
After all the effort to stop, the tears come bursting out again.
Already an embarrassing disaster? I was trying to salvage this perfectly, and it’s already a flop, huaaa!
After creating such an embarrassing disaster, I head home.
After crying so much, I’m exhausted and fell asleep before I got home.
That evening,
Mom is busy teasing me non-stop since we got home.
“Well, you know, I couldn’t help but give our girl a playful flick on the forehead because she’s so cheeky, and she cried for ages, right?”
“Ahahaha, really? Do-hee cried? I can’t believe I missed that scene. I haven’t seen our girl cry since she was two!”
“Jeez, she cried? I totally missed that scene; I’m so bummed. I haven’t seen our girl cry since she was two!”
“Stop it…”
“I was worried because Do-hee is so mature and doesn’t cry, but look at her, she’s still a baby. Hey, our baby~ Wanna have some mommy’s milk?”
“Oh no, you’re gonna make her cry again. Stop teasing, Princess; Daddy’s gonna give you a hug, come here~”
I hate Dad even more for trying to stop it.
“I said stop… It’s not like I cried or anything…”
Seriously, my body just reacted reflexively, okay?
“Really? Who else cried besides our daughter?”
“No, what I mean is—!”
“Ohhh, our daughter cried so much her eyes are all puffy! Daddy needs to give her a facial massage.”
“Waaaaah!”
I closed the door and lay on my bed.
Even with my eyes closed, today’s events keep swirling in my head.
That night, I don’t know how many times I kicked the blankets.
Two months since manufacturing my own black history, and summer arrived before I knew it.
Over those two months, Mom’s pregnant belly gradually grew.
Mom and Dad watched the belly grow day by day, excited, and I repeated my routine of studying, exercising, and playing piano, developing my personal abilities.
It should have been a proud two months of progress for me, but as time passed, my anxiety only grew.
And finally, that day came.
Starting today, my black history can be fully broadcasted.
First ad, straight to public TV.
Ah.
Mom was too busy promoting the ad I was in.
Kwon Joo-hee
June 2, 2012, 11:40 AM
Today is the first day our daughter’s ad airs~
Make sure to tune in at 5:55, channel 7~
(Picture taken in front of flowers during a picnic)
Mom wasn’t satisfied with just posting about it on social media; she called up all her acquaintances.
“Oh, Min-ha! Our ad is airing at 5:55 on channel 7 today, so make sure to watch, okay?”
“Oh really? I hear our future daughter-in-law is in an ad, must see!”
She even told the piano teacher:
“Teacher! Our Do-hee’s ad is airing for the first time today!”
“Oh my! Really? I’ll definitely make time to watch it at home.”
“Teacher… could you not watch it?”
“Do-hee, are you embarrassed? It’s okay, our Do-hee looks cute no matter what she does~”
Please… just stop…
Before I knew it, broadcast time was approaching.
In a desperate struggle, I tried to snatch the remote and even pulled out the TV’s power cord, but my small frame was easily subdued by Mom.
When you think about it, this black history is my tiny body’s fault.
I wish I could at least be in middle school…
Our family gathered around the TV, awaiting the ad.
Watching my black history being played for the family… just kill me…
“Honey, it’s almost 55 minutes.”
“It’s the time.”
“Oh brother, I’m so nervous. How did it turn out? Haha.”
“I don’t want to watch.”
“Oh dear, where are you going, our daughter?”
I tried my best not to look, but ended up being forced to watch while clinging to my mother.
“Hehe, is this the first time Dad gets to see our daughter cry?”
“….. Keep your mouth shut and watch quietly.”
Despite my rough tone, Mom and Dad seem to be enjoying teasing me.
Mom, staring at the screen, suddenly shouts.
“Oh! It’s starting!”
On the screen, a beautifully dressed little girl is crying adorably.
Who on earth is this cute little thing, I wonder, haha.
Even on screen, her visuals are perfect; I can’t wait to see her grow up.
Really, who is she?
Hahaha.
Ha-ah.
The girl takes a sip of aloe juice and suddenly stops crying, wide-eyed in surprise.
It looks like she stopped crying just because the juice is sweet.
But in reality, she just covered her mouth to halt the tears, you know?
“Hehe, our daughter is so cute. How can she stop crying with just one sip? Was the juice that delicious?”
“No, it’s not…”
“Oh, our pretty baby, let’s live together with Mommy forever~”
“…”
Once the advertisement ends, Dad smiles and says to Mom.
“Honey, let’s download this video and keep it forever.”
“I was already planning on getting the original file from the advertising agency staff~”
Please stop…
“Good job, our pretty princess! Can I brag about you to my coworkers?”
“Don’t…”
“Okay, I will?”
“Don’t cry…”
Mom started promoting the advertisement video she received from the agency on her SNS again.
And as the advertisement got more exposure, Mom’s SNS followers grew rapidly.
Kwon Joo-hee
July 2, 2012, 6:46 PM
[Our Daughter’s Advertisement]
Isn’t she adorable?
Our princess, who usually doesn’t cry, was sobbing so much that day.
Everyone, please watch her prettily~
(Aloe Juice Advertisement Video)
└Oh my, the baby is so cute~
└Wow, the baby’s features are already perfect.
└I came from watching the ad~
└Wow, I’ve never seen such a pretty baby, but is it normal to like the baby’s mom more than the baby?
└Isn’t this person insane?
└So, do you prefer the baby then? You creep.
└No;;
└Please check your DMs~ I’m requesting an ad.
└Just grow up like this…
└Damn, did the husband save a country in a past life? The wife is also super pretty, but the daughter is insane.
└Have you seen the husband’s picture? He’s handsome too; must have been the helmsman of a turtle ship in a past life.
└Damn, please let his thing be at least three cm.
└Hello, this is a child actor specialized entertainment agency. Thank you for reading this DM.
“It’s an entertainment agency. I’d appreciate it if you read my DM.”
“Do-hee, look at this! People really like you a lot, don’t they?”
“…Yeah.”
“What’s wrong? Do you dislike it?”
“No…”
“If you want to, should we try shooting a few more commercials?”
“No…”
I know, too. When people see the ads, they’re just watching a cute 5-year-old girl crying.
Yeah, it’s definitely not a dark past at all.
In fact, people will watch it with a warm smile.
If someone asks why I cried so sadly, I could just say it was acting.
But there’s this saying.
The only downside of a counterfeit that even a discriminator can’t tell apart is that the counterfeit knows it’s a counterfeit.
I’m the same.
People will think I’m just a cute 5-year-old.
But I know my mental age is in my 30s…
Since the commercial aired, I haven’t slept properly for about a week.
Afterwards, more and more people started recognizing me.
Right now, it’s the time when internet broadcasting is just rising, and YouTube is becoming active.
Television and cable TV are still the undeniable main streams.
It was the day my mom and I went grocery shopping after the commercial aired.
We were taking the elevator down to the parking lot when we ran into an old couple.
The grandmother looked at me and started talking to my mom.
“Oh my, that little one is so pretty. But where have I seen her? Isn’t she the one from the TV commercial?”
“Haha, yes, that’s right.”
The grandfather looked at me with a delighted smile, as if he were watching a grandchild showing off.
“A superstar lives in our apartment now! Haha, little one, could you give grandpa an autograph?”
“I don’t have any autographs…”
“Haha, then grandpa made a mistake. You look just like a bride, so beautiful.”
“Oh, stop it~”
After that encounter with the old couple, where I felt the true impact of television for the first time, at the mart it was like…
“Oh my, isn’t that the little one who comes out on TV?”
Employees asking my mom as they recognized me.
“Mom, she’s the girl from the TV!”
“Oh my, really?”
A mother with her son out grocery shopping.
While checking out, one said, “Wait, doesn’t she look like the kid from that aloe commercial? Is that you?”
“Haha, yes, that’s right.”
And so on…
More people recognized me than I expected.
Getting famous feels nice.
Nothing boosts self-esteem quite like becoming someone others admire.
But why must I become famous for my dark past, aaargh!
From today onward, I’ve decided to lock myself in at home until the commercial quiets down after it finishes airing.