* * *

“Is his name Kongja?”

Ma Soo-jung reached out and moved the camera aside. Just then, the nun holding me approached her.

“Yes, he’s called Kongja.”

“Wait, wait, hold on. If he sees me, he’ll cry…….”

She looked at me with frightened eyes.

‘Actress Ma, why would I cry?’

I’m going to smile brightly for the sake of promotion.

I reached out my short hand towards her and smiled brightly with a clear voice.

“Bbaaah!”

Ma Soo-jung seemed surprised and took a step back. I kept reaching out towards her.

“Bubaa! Bbyaah!”

How about it, Actress Ma? My cute babbling.

‘Hurry up and give me the coins!’

But unlike the others, it didn’t rise easily.

‘Am I lacking in charm?’

Sister Teresa laughed and said,

“Kongja seems to like you, Ms. Soo-jung.”

“Pardon? Oh, that can’t be……. Babies usually hate me. Even Marie cried and made a fuss when I tried to hold her…….”

“But Kongja is smiling and reaching out to you.”

“Oh……”

The nun handed me over to her.

“Try holding him once.”

“Oh, um, I…….”

With hesitant hands, Ma Soo-jung reluctantly took me into her arms.

I calmly settled into her embrace. She supported my back with one hand, holding me skillfully.

‘She’s staring right at me.’

I made eye contact with Ma Soo-jung. Her pupils were trembling.

‘Don’t be afraid, Actress Ma.’

I won’t cry.

‘Instead, I’ll smile even more brightly.’

I slowly smiled while looking into her eyes.

“Bbuuaa!”

I did all the cute actions a baby could do.

“Oh? Kongja?”

I flailed my arms and shook my head. Ma Soo-jung couldn’t take her eyes off me.

“Uh, um……”

She struggled to speak for a while and finally said,

“Wait a moment! Someone, please sanitize my hands.”

“Pardon?”

“Hurry.”

The nun quickly squeezed hand sanitizer onto her hands. She rubbed them together at lightning speed and then supported my back again.

‘Why is she sanitizing her hands?’

Then, she grabbed my tiny fist and suddenly exclaimed like a rapid-fire gun.

“Oh my! Oh my! So cute! How can there be such a cute baby? What did you say his name was?”

She sounded like a completely different person.

‘If I were an ordinary baby, I’d probably cry from the noise.’

But I’m different! I kept laughing as if the world was full of joy.

“Bbaah!”

“Isn’t he pretty? His name is Kongja.”

“Wow, how beautiful! Even his name is pretty!”

Um, excuse me?

That’s not really accurate, Ms. Ma.

Even if you flatter me because I’m cute, how can you say the name “Kongja” is pretty? If my surname was Gui, I’d be laughed at even more. (Gui= Honorable, Kongja= Confucius. If his name is Gui Kongja it would become Honorable Confucius.)

“Somehow, it suits you! If it were an ordinary child, I’d think the parents had weird taste. But for some reason, it’s perfect for you!”

Is it that my face does all the work or something?

I flailed my limbs.

‘Then I’ll take that as a compliment.’

They say everything looks different when you’re good-looking.

Feeling proud, I wriggled freely in her arms. Ma Soo-jung then began to gently stroke my round shoulders and limbs.

“You’re warm and soft.”

Well, even if it wasn’t me, everyone would be soft, Ms. Ma.

“But… it’s strange. Why aren’t you crying? Even my own child cried whenever she saw me…”

“Kongja is very gentle.”

“Marie was gentle with others too. She only cried in front of me… so…”

She sighed deeply. I patted her gently with my small hand, as if to reassure her.

“I thought all children hated me…”

Now I see the situation is pitiful.

“Bboo-oo, ba-ba!”

Cheer up, Ms. Ma.

No child dislikes their mother. It must have been just that moment.

Whether my patting reached her heart or not, Ma Soo-jung looked at me and smiled bashfully.

“Kongja, are you comforting me right now?”

“Bwa-ya!”

Of course!

Ma Soo-jung stared at me intently.

Ah, if those eyes were camera lenses, this would be a close-up shot that captured even the soul.

‘Camera one-shot? In this situation, I must do my best…’

I used all my strength to give her a bright smile.

But suddenly, tears welled up in Ma Soo-jung’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

‘Huh?’

Wait, why is she crying?

Flustered, I flapped my whole body.

“Bba-ba, bu-ba-bba!”

If you see a cute child, you should smile, not cry!

The nun, also taken aback, asked hastily.

“…Ms. Soo-jung?”

“I… I always thought I could only make people frown…”

Ma Soo-jung sobbed, wiping her eyes.

“I never thought I could make someone smile. Even if it’s just a little child…”

The nun hurriedly brought her tissues.

But Ma Soo-jung refused the kindness, not even wiping her tears. She just kept staring at my smiling face.

At that moment,

Click-

The sound of a camera shutter echoed. Ma Soo-jung stared at the camera as if snapping out of a trance.

Damn it, the camera!

“Bbu-shi, bwa-ang!”

Come on, you’re spoiling the moment, mister.

Under Ma Soo-jung’s sharp gaze, the photographer quietly put down his camera.

“I’m, I’m sorry. The subject was just too good.”

Hey, mister. Even so, isn’t this too much? To someone overwhelmed with emotion.

Ma Soo-jung said nothing, just let her tears stream down.

“Bbu-bbu, bba-bba!”

Oh no, she can’t keep crying!

I reached out to touch her cheek. Though it was hard to control my strength, I tried my best to be gentle.

Ms. Ma, has life been tough on you?

“Wuya-wooa, bbi-a-woong…”

Ms. Ma, what child understands their parent’s heart?

I continued to stroke Ma Soo-jung’s cheek for a while. At this moment, neither Ma Soo-jung nor anyone else said a word.

Ma Soo-jung slowly brought her lips to my hand.

“…Are you comforting me?”

“Bboo-nyang!”

Of course.

She kissed my hand.

At that moment.

Click-

“Bbu-bbu-ya, aa-ang!”

That photographer again!

‘Ah, I was about to earn some coins. But he had to ruin it.’

Ma Soo-jung glanced at the photographer and sighed softly.

Even the nun squinted her eyes and glared at the photographer this time.

“Um, I’m sorry. I know it all, but I just had to capture this moment.”

The photographer made another excuse.

“The lighting was perfect, the angle was amazing. And most of all, this subject was absolutely stunning. Such a pretty child and the beautiful actress Ma Soo-jung in one shot… Do you want to take a look?”

The photographer approached cautiously, showing the photo.
The nun, who had been skeptical, also looked at the photo and admired it purely.

“My goodness!”

“Right? It’s incredible, isn’t it?”

Ma Soo-jung, adjusting her hold on me, spoke.

“Let me see it too.”

“Y-Yes!”

The photographer hurriedly showed her the screen. Thanks to that, I could see it too.

“Bbu, baa!”

Wow! It’s great!
Natural light really is the best. Just a bit of sunlight made Ma Soo-jung’s hair shimmer like an aura as she kissed my hand.

‘She looks like… the Virgin Mary.’

The photo captured Ma Soo-jung’s innocence and beauty.
Maybe because the nun was there too, it exuded a holy atmosphere.

“Um…”

Ma Soo-jung wiped her eyes and spoke.

“It’s really well-taken.”

The photographer, relieved, let out a long breath.

“Right? I just felt that I had to capture it.”

Anyone likes a well-taken photo of themselves. Ma Soo-jung smiled faintly, as if she hadn’t cried at all.
I flapped my arms, gently stroking her cheek.

“Kongja really seems to like you, Ms. Soo-jung.”

Ma Soo-jung whispered my name carefully.

“Kongja, Kongja, Kongja…”

She held me close and looked straight into my face.

‘Then I should respond.’

I met Ma Soo-jung’s gaze and smiled brightly.

“Bba! Bbi-a-woo!”

Am I not adorable?

Ma Soo-jung stared deeply into my eyes.

“Ms. Soo-jung?”

“Um, it’s strange. Why is my heart pounding like this? This child… I just met today… It doesn’t feel like a stranger.”

Well, maybe because I’m handsome?

“Bbu-bbu, bba-ya!”

Anything was good.

There was no harm in making a good impression in front of a third-generation chaebol actress.

“…This is strange. What is this feeling? It’s as if… I met this child once in a past life.”

* * *