The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune

Translator: Marctempest

Editor: Rynfinity

Chapter 281

"Okay! Let's take a short break!"

The director shouted loudly, and the set regained its energy.

I walked past the bustling staff and approached the actor standing next to Happy.

"Hello, senior."

"Oh, Yeon-jae."

It was actress Sung Eun-hye, who played the role of Do Yoo-young's mother.

She also played Lee Jin-woo's mother in the movie 'Twins.'

"It's been a while since we saw each other at the reading. How have you been?"

"I've been well. How about you, senior?"

"Oh, you know, the same as always. I feel like I'm always playing bad mom roles."

I smiled, following the gentle smile of actress Sung Eun-hye.

Indeed, last time she played a mother who abused her son.

In 'Twins,' she portrayed a mother who went mad, but just now, she vividly depicted a woman finding happiness with a new family.

"Her acting has definitely stabilized since last time."

It felt a bit odd to think this about someone with much more acting experience than me, but I couldn't help it.

I clearly remembered how she made several mistakes out of pressure during the filming of 'Twins.'

"You're too good an actress to say it's a pity."

"It's better than during 'Twins.' At least there are no scenes where I have to hit a child, right?"

Actress Sung Eun-hye shuddered slightly, saying it was a great relief.

Her exaggerated reaction felt slightly awkward.

"We're not close."

I thought I should give her space to rest comfortably.

Even though my mind was set on this, my feet wouldn't move.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Noticing my hesitation, actress Sung Eun-hye asked first.

"No, it's not a problem."

I subtly turned my head.

I glanced briefly at Han Ha-ram, who was sticking close to Jin-bae hyung.

"Senior."

"Yes?"

"What do you think of Do Yoo-young's mother?"

"Huh??"

I looked at her puzzled face.

"Like you said, she doesn't physically abuse Do Yoo-young. She provides financial support generously."

"That's true."

"But leaving a minor to live alone is clearly neglect. It's an act of abuse. So…."

I swallowed hard.

"She's not a good parent."

Do Yoo-young's mother was obviously not a good parent.

"Despite that, does Do Yoo-young still need his mother?"

"……."

"Whether good or bad, she's still his mom. Isn't it better to have her than not? What do you think, senior?"

I tried hard to resist looking at Han Ha-ram.

I felt a bit guilty, like I was using work as an excuse to satisfy my personal curiosity.

'But I need help.'

I needed advice from a woman of a similar age to Han Ha-ram's mother.

Advice from someone who had lived a mother's life.

"Hmm, that's a tough question to answer."

Actress Sung Eun-hye rubbed her chin, pondering.

"Yeon-jae, do you remember what I told you? That I haven't seen my son since I divorced his father years ago."

"Yes. You said your son was abroad."

"Wow, you remember that? Your memory is really good."

Actress Sung Eun-hye smiled, briefly expressing her amazement.

"This is something even my manager doesn't know… but I saw my son last year. He reached out to me first."

"Really?"

"Yes. He used to say he never wanted to see my face. At first, I tried sending texts and letters, but he didn't respond for years. So, I was really surprised when he contacted me first."

Despite the personal nature of her story, she spoke openly.

"When we met, he was already an adult. In my memory, he was just an elementary school kid. It felt really strange."

"……."

"We just drank coffee in an awkward atmosphere. I couldn't bring myself to ask if he was doing well."

But then he said.

"He said he always wondered why I didn't want to see him. Why didn't I come looking for him."

"You reached out first…."

"Yes. But he didn't feel it was genuine."

Actress Sung Eun-hye smiled bitterly.

"He thought I was happy without him, seeing me smiling on TV. He believed it was all a lie that I wanted to see him."

"……Just like Do Yoo-young."

"Right. That's why I was surprised when I read the script. It felt like someone had heard my story and wrote it."

Actress Sung Eun-hye let out a dry laugh.

"So I told him. Even when I was smiling on TV, and even now as we're sitting face-to-face. I've never stopped thinking about you."

"What did your son say?"

Actress Sung Eun-hye hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"He said I should've come looking for him instead of just smiling."

"……."

"No matter how much he insisted he didn't want to see me, or didn't respond, I should've found a way to see him."

Actress Sung Eun-hye smiled wistfully.

As I watched her, I thought.

'Do Yoo-young's mother loves him.'

Even if she wasn't a good mother, her love for her son was genuine.

I knew this because it was clearly mentioned in the conclusion.

'But Do Yoo-young doesn't know that.'

Do Yoo-young thought his mother didn't need him, but it was just a misconception.

His mother truly wanted her first son.

Having met someone who loved her and having given birth to a child, she regretted not being able to give her first child love and attention.

However, she found it difficult to confront the past of abandoning her child and avoided it by offering "clumsy care."

She thought to herself that she finally had a place she could call "her home," and that she needed to bring Do Yoo-young there to start anew.

She promised herself she would never act like she did in the past.

She was waiting for her son's heart to open.

'If she doesn't tell him, he won't know.'

But her method was wrong.

No matter what thoughts or great plans she had on her own, if she didn't directly tell him, he wouldn't know.

Do Yoo-young could only think his mother was happy with her new family.

'Han Ha-ram would be the same.'

Although Han Ha-ram's parents' actions didn't seem right, they might care for and love Han Ha-ram in their own way.

Han Ha-ram might be wishing for something from such parents.

'In the end...'

Unless they talked openly, they wouldn't know.

No matter how much I pondered what would be good for Han Ha-ram, it was useless on my own.

'I should talk to him today.'

I needed to directly ask what the child wanted.

'And then decide.'

Tomorrow would be the end of the week I promised to look after Han Ha-ram.

At least before tomorrow, I had to decide.

How I would treat Han Ha-ram from now on.

* * *

After school, Shin and Ji Hae-soo were startled when they returned home.

"…Aunt?"

"Oh, Hae-soo! It's been a while! You came with Yoo-young?"

Do Yoo-young's mother was sitting in the living room where he should have been alone.

"Gasp!"

As soon as Shin saw his mother, he brightened up and started to run toward her.

No, he tried to run.

Ji Hae-soo urgently grabbed Shin by the nape, stopping him.

Dangling from Ji Hae-soo's hand, Shin shouted loudly from his spot.

"Mom!! I'm so happy!!!"

In a voice overflowing with cuteness.

"……."

"……."

The yard instantly fell into silence.

Do Yoo-young's mother stared blankly at her son's unprecedented cuteness, while Ji Hae-soo closed her eyes tightly.

Of course, the most shocked person was Do Yoo-young.

"Yoo-young, no, I've missed you so much―."

―Woof!!!!

Do Yoo-young, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly stood up and barked.

He ran quickly and tackled Shin.

"Yoo-young! Why―."

"Hey, the name! The name!"

"Oh, right. Shin, Shin-ah!"

Watching Ji Hae-soo's signals, Shin tried to stop Do Yoo-young.

But Do Yoo-young just kept barking.

―Woof! Woof!!!

"Hey, what's wrong with you? Did something happen?"

Even at Ji Hae-soo's frowning question, Do Yoo-young kept barking.

―Woof!!!

It was a cry full of sorrow.

"……."

Shin watched Do Yoo-young quietly.

The smile that had been on his face gradually changed.

Shin knelt down and hugged Do Yoo-young.

"Yoo-young, are you upset?"

Then, in a voice too soft for others to hear, he whispered.

―Woof!

"Okay. I understand. I'm upset too."

Shin hugged his master and rubbed his face against him.

Slowly, Do Yoo-young calmed down in the warmth of Shin's embrace.

―Whimper….

Do Yoo-young snuggled into Shin's arms.

His tail drooped and he relaxed his body.

Shin thought, 'I didn't know I was this heavy,' as he lifted Do Yoo-young up.

"Yoo-young?"

Do Yoo-young's mother looked bewildered.

Behind her, the red sunset was visible.

With his eyebrows furrowed, Shin shouted loudly.

"Mom. I hate you!!!"

"…What?"

"I hate you!! You're bad!!"

"But you just said you were happy…."

Do Yoo-young's mother still seemed unable to grasp the situation, looking dazed.

"Really, I hate you so much, mhmph!!"

"Okay, that's enough. Snap out of it."

Ji Hae-soo quickly covered Shin's mouth and moved.

With the strength she used to lift the desk earlier, Shin securely held the dog that weighed over 40kg.

Holding Shin, who kept glaring at his mother, Ji Hae-soo barely managed to drag them into the room.

Then silence briefly returned to the yard.

Do Yoo-young's mother asked in a forlorn voice.

"Hae-soo, why is Yoo-young like this…?"

"Ah, it's nothing much. Haha!"

Ji Hae-soo waved her hand and forced a smile.

"These days, our school is, um, well, practicing for a play. He's so serious about it that once he starts practicing, he can't get out of character easily."

"…Yoo-young is acting?"

Her face now even showed signs of fear.

Ji Hae-soo, sweating profusely, laughed awkwardly.

"He's really good at it~. The character is very straightforward, um, yes? That's why he's acting weird."

"I-I see."

Do Yoo-young's mother nodded with a still uneasy expression.

She mumbled softly, "Straightforward character…."

Ji Hae-soo urgently shouted.

"Aunt! Isn't it time for you to leave? It's about to get really congested."

"That's true, but Yoo-young―."

"Oh, just leave Yoo-young to me. Please, go ahead. Quickly!"

Ji Hae-soo barely managed to send off Do Yoo-young's mother and let out a deep sigh.

"Ha, crazy."

It was a sigh that seemed to sink the ground.

Ji Hae-soo, looking pale as if his lifespan had shortened, staggered as he walked to open the door.

And there, inside.

"Sniff, Yoo-young."

―…….

"Yoo-young. Sob, sob."

Someone was crying, embraced in the dog's arms.

Shin was crying so sorrowfully that the area around his eyes was red and inflamed.

Do Yoo-young, now looking more composed, was consoling Shin with a troubled expression.

Ji Hae-soo quietly closed his eyes.

'Damn it….'

He cursed himself for coming to find Do Yoo-young last weekend.