* * *
The reporter stood up, patted her chest, and then sat back down.
Then she rubbed her face with her hands.
“Oh, really!”
“Noona?”
“You’re so cute, I can’t stand it! Oh, sorry. I can’t calm down. How can such a cute kid say such heart-melting things?”
That was quite a compliment.
It would be weird to say thank you here.
I pretended not to understand and rubbed my head against the boss’s chest.
“Okay, Kongja. I have one last question for you. Can you leave a video message for the viewers of ‘Celebrity Walk’?”
Excuse me, reporter.
Isn’t that too difficult a request for a child?
‘But I can do it.’
I smiled brightly at the camera.
“Brothers and sisters! Sleep well today! Sleep well tomorrow too! And sleep well the day after tomorrow!”
The reporter stood up again.
Then she suddenly covered her mouth and twisted her body.
After a while, she took a deep breath and sat down.
‘Her face is red.’
She must be excited.
“Sorry, viewers. As you know, I’m not usually the type to get excited.”
R-really?
“I can’t help it. This is crazy. Where can you find a kid like this!”
Please calm down, reporter.
“In my five years as a reporter, viewers, this is the first time my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. Kongja.”
“Yes!”
“My wish is to pinch your cheek. Can I?”
Well, it’s not something to wish for.
‘Of course, if Ahsan’s mother were here, she’d tell you to sanitize your hands first.’
I answered brightly with a smile.
“Yes!”
“Okay. Wait a moment. Let me clean my hands.”
The reporter cleaned her fingers with a wet wipe.
‘That’s a bit much.’
The reporter reached out carefully.
I stared at her fingers.
‘My cheek isn’t a missile bomb.’
She seems to be trembling a bit.
Finally, her fingers touched my cheek.
She pinched it gently a few times and then sat down.
“Oh my!”
“Noona?”
The reporter took a deep breath and looked at the camera.
Then she started speaking rapidly.
“Viewers! I did it!”
It’s not something to accomplish.
“Kongja’s cheeks are so soft. Extremely soft! I know many of you out there want to touch them, right? Haha! Viewers, you must be envious! I touched them!”
What kind of comment was that?
I looked at the president with concern.
‘Huh?’
Why is he acting like this?
The president was smiling at the camera so broadly his cheeks were twitching.
‘Has he been like this the whole time?’
Why on earth?
‘Could it be that he knew he’d be filmed too?’
No way.
I gave an awkward smile.
The reporter was already chattering away to another camera.
Honestly, the place was chaotic.
‘This is what you call a mess.’
I shook my legs.
‘Well, I’m just a baby after all.’
Someone would come and handle it.
Thankfully, the chaos settled down quickly.
* * *
“You shot something again, didn’t you?”
Ah, she’s back again.
I smiled brightly at my grandmother.
Honestly, I didn’t expect her to visit for a while after that.
But she kept coming to see me.
‘Addiction is scary.’
“Yes!”
“Ridiculous! It caused another stir!”
Huh?
She usually had a stern look when saying that.
But this time it was different.
‘It feels somewhat warm.’
Why is that?
‘Ah-ha!’
I burst into a smile.
‘She’s pleased with me.’
Well, I recalled the show “Celebrity Walk” that came to the CF shoot.
‘Judging by the interview, my image must be good.’
Is this the power of cuteness?
“Oh dear, what should I do?”
Though she said that, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted.
“Well, this mutt’s face is perfect after all.”
Hmm, seems like she’s admitting I’m cute.
“There aren’t many kids who look like you.”
Not just rare, but…
“If Mrs. Ma had something to say about it, then…”
My grandmother’s cheeks twitched.
‘Good job, Grandma.’
So please open your heart a bit. And stop calling me a mutt. When I blinked, she cleared her throat.
“Ahem, ahem. But don’t get the wrong idea that I’ve accepted you. You’re just…”
I tilted my head.
‘Just what?’
It was the usual cue for a harsh word.
What was she going to say this time?
But what came out was unexpected.
“You’re like goldfish poop, no, a goldfish tail!”
Huh?
‘Did she just soften her words?’
I couldn’t help but laugh.
Persistence pays off.
‘It’s working.’
The time and effort I’ve put in are paying off.
I knew it.
It’s time to take another step forward.
‘Time to make my move.’
I got up from the cradle.
Bending my legs, I wiggled my butt.
“Am I the tail?”
I wiggled brightly.
“I like the tail!”
How about that?
This is what you call showing off.
Grandma was silent.
I kept wiggling my butt.
“I want to be Mom’s tail!”
Though she didn’t say anything, I could tell from her expression.
Her cheeks were twitching like an earthquake.
“Ahem, ahem. What are you doing?”
“Tail!”
Grandma kept clearing her throat and finally spoke.
“W-well. Stay like that if you want. I’m busy, I have to go.”
She slowly stood up and turned around.
I waved at her retreating figure.
“Bye-bye!”
She seemed to hesitate for a moment but then walked out.
After she was gone, I lay back in the cradle.
‘Things are getting better.’
I looked at the mobile.
It swayed slightly, probably because the window was open.
‘It’s been a few weeks since then.’
Time really flew.
‘Yesterday was the “Celebrity Walk” day.’
I wonder if my interview aired.
How was the reaction?
Ah, I missed it!
‘No smartphone!’
Asking an addicted person to live without a smartphone is too cruel!
‘Maybe I should use a coin.’
Ah, coins!
‘No need to check the viewer board, coins will do.’
I mumbled softly.
‘Total coins!’
[Total coins: 86,876]
‘Seems like the reaction was good.’
It hasn’t been long since I used up ten thousand coins, but I’ve gathered so many already.
‘Well, having a lot is good, but…’
Just hoarding them without using them feels like a waste.
‘Like a gilded gingerbread.’
Maybe because of the struggles I had before.
‘Even though I can use them, it’s a bit problematic.’
The price I paid for healing Auntie An wasn’t trivial.
‘If luck hadn’t been on my side, I’d have ended up in the hospital.’
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
‘If I had slept for 48 hours instead of 24…’
Mom would have cried.
She’d cancel all shoots and everything.
I sighed.
‘What should I do?’
There are various methods.
‘Use them only when absolutely necessary, or only when I have time…’
I hung my head.
I have to be this careful.
‘If only I knew the cost in advance.’
Then I could at least manage it.
‘Wait, huh?’
I shot up from the cradle.
‘Hold on. Could it be possible?’
I tried what just came to mind.
‘Use coins!’
* * *
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