* * *

‘Even so, I can’t just waste coins.’

I need 30,000 coins to make Mom healthy.

‘I need to use them to get famous, but I also need to gather them.’

At that moment, subtitles suddenly appeared in front of me.

[Someone who saw your cute face likes it]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

[Someone who saw your cute face likes it]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

[Someone who saw your adorable face likes it]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

[Someone inspired by your cute face likes it]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

[An industry professional who saw your cute face likes it]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

[A promotion team member who saw your cute face likes it]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

The subtitles rose like crazy. I blinked.

‘What is this, what’s happening?’

I couldn’t even read them. The subtitles were blocking everything.

Feeling dizzy, I shouted.

“Bwa, bwabwu, bwoo!”

Hide subtitles for a moment!

[2 Fan of Ma Soo-jung who saw your cute face likes it]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

As this subtitle ended, my vision cleared. I tilted my head, looking at the clean view.

‘What, this feature existed?’

Why didn’t I know? No, that’s not important.

“Bwaai, bwooo!”

The coins increased!

‘Does that mean many people saw a picture of me?’

Was there a chance for me to be exposed to many people?

‘Oh, right.’

Photo shoot.

‘They said it was for Sungjin Group’s charity internal promotion photo.’

Aha.

I smirked.

‘Why didn’t I think of this?’

Mom’s health and my success as an actor.

These two goals weren’t much different in terms of path I will take to fulfill them.

‘I just need to get famous using the coins.’

Once famous, I can gather coins to make Mom healthy!

I touched my forehead with my small hand.

‘If the two goals are one, it’s simple!’

I clasped my hands together as if combining the two goals.

“Bwaaaabwu!”

I’ll become famous!

Right now!

I immediately turned to Mom. She smiled at me.

I was the kind of person who used everything at my disposal.

‘Actress Ma Soo-jung’s son.’

Using this was simple. I should take advantage of the so-called ‘Nepotism.’

‘Let’s start with the easy one!’

“Bwbwu, byabwu”

Use Love and Peace Coin!

[How would you like to use the Love and Peace Coin?]

“Bwubyaabwu”

Post the charity photo with Mom on a popular site!

[It requires 2 coins to post Sungjin Group’s charity internal promotion photo on a popular internet community. Do you want to proceed?]

Wow. The coin price is quite cheap.

‘I no hesitation for such a small amount of coins.’

“Pippa!”

Execute!

[It will be executed within 10 hours]

[Every action has a price]

[As a side effect, actress Ma Soo-jung’s personality will become more confident and shameless for a month]

Oh.

‘What kind of side effect is that?’

Can that even be a side effect? By what standard?

I blinked. It was utterly absurd.

At that moment, my mom called me.

“Kongja.”

I immediately looked up. She lay next to me, patting my back.

‘Strangely beautiful.’

But something felt off.

Ma Soo-jung, the actress.

Wasn’t she known in the film industry for her bold personality?

‘Subtitle, I’m not saying anything, but… hasn’t my mom always been confident and shameless?’

But even more so now?

I smiled brightly, and my mom smiled back at me.

‘Well, it should be fine.’

It’s only for a month.

Yeah, it should be, right?

I grinned. I decided to push my thoughts aside.

***

My mom rummaged through my closet. I stood up, holding onto the crib rail, then lowered and lifted my bottom.

‘Oh, really!’

My legs lost strength again. Fortunately, there was a soft mat, so there was no impact, but I still didn’t like the weakness in my legs.

‘Move better.’

I grabbed the rail again and steadied my legs.

That’s when it happened. My mom groaned and lowered her head deeply.

“Ugh! Why is there no lion!”

Hmm? Lion?

I awkwardly looked at my arm. The white fur was fluffy.

‘So, is this a rabbit?’

I sighed.

‘Animal costume?’

Looking down, I saw a ridiculously cute outfit.

‘She dressed me up because it’s cute, right?’

But why did it feel strange?

‘It’s just clothes, but…’

I had worn it for the first time that morning, but it felt like I would be wearing it for a long time.

Was it just my imagination?

At my mom’s groan, the housemaid Auntie An entered.

“Oh my, miss, what’s wrong!”

“There’s no lion!”

“Oh, it should be here somewhere? Ah, here it is! Let me change him!”

Oh dear. From a rabbit to a lion.

Well, with this face, anything would look good. I extended my hand and spoke.

“Baa!”

“Oh my, how cute! Now, Kongja. Let’s try the lion costume too.”

Auntie An deftly changed my clothes. I tilted my head, wearing the hood with the mane.
Then subtitles appeared.

[Seeing you in a cute outfit makes Auntie An happy]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

[Total Coins: 1,021]

Ah, I must have looked really cute.

‘Well, with this face, what wouldn’t look good.’

My mom smiled broadly and said.

“Kongja!”

“Baa!”

Yes, mom.

“I made a decision yesterday. Now, I’m going to meet the Madam.”

What? Madam?

I looked around. The room with pink wallpaper was quite large and spacious.

‘Wait, mom? Isn’t this house ours? Are we renting in Seongbuk-dong?’

A third-generation chaebol… renting?

Auntie An held me and said.

“Miss, what do you mean Madam.”

“It’s true.”

“You can’t refer to the lady like that.”

Lady? Oh.

The answer quickly came to me.

“She’s your mother! If she hears you calling her that, you’ll be in big trouble!”

Aha.

My mom sighed deeply.

“Yeah. So, the Madam.”

“Miss!”

“I’m an outcast. Ah, they might as well kick me out completely instead of keeping me here!”

“Miss!”

“Auntie An, don’t shout. You’ll scare Kongja. Ah, so, Kongja. Mom needs to meet the Madam, and it looks like you need to come too.”

Ah, I think I got it.

‘She wants me to introduce myself.’

Well, she’s technically my grandmother, so I should go meet her.

My mom flipped her hair back and said.

“I’d like to avoid it, but if I do, they might send Kongja somewhere without me knowing.”

“Miss, don’t use such language! The baby can hear you!”

“Ah, sorry. I should use nice words in front of Kongja. Kongja! Sorry. Forget it!”

…Already heard it.

‘Do they not get along well?’

My mom picked me up.

“Luckily, I know how to persuade the Madam. Strike while the iron is hot. I’ll be back.”

Ah, that bold personality.

“Miss, the lady won’t be kind. Why not leave Kongja here? You never know.”

“No. This plan needs Kongja. And it’s better to finish it in one go.”

She must really dislike us.
My mom patted my back and said.

“Kongja, just bear it a little. Just once.”

“Miss!”

“I thought about it all day because of Lee Yu-kyung. This seems better.”

My mom took a deep breath while holding me.

“To deal with a nasty Madam, it’s best to act crazy, right?”

Auntie An held her forehead and shouted.

“No, what are you saying! Crazy?”

“I can’t face the Madam sober. Hmm, should I drink?”

“Miss!”

“It’s fine. I won’t. I quit drinking. You know I’m thorough. I came up with a good plan while looking at Kongja this morning.”

Auntie An sighed and asked.

“What plan?”

“Should I sing a song?”

“What?”

“I did a musical movie. I’m surprisingly good at singing.”

Auntie An’s eyes trembled.

“No, Miss. In front of the lady? Singing?”

“Yes. Seeing the Madam is terribly unpleasant, so I should sing. Our Madam isn’t ordinary. Only by going crazy can I speak a little.”

“No, what happened overnight! You were already bold, but now you’ve gotten stranger!”

“Me? It’s fine. It’s fine.”

“What’s fine!”

My mom lifted me up. I tilted my head in her arms.

Suddenly changed?

‘Is this the side effect?’

I looked up at my mom. She was walking briskly with her lips tightly sealed, looking like a warrior heading into battle.

‘The side effect is supposed to make you confident and shameless.’

The mane on my hoodie swayed with each step. Well, it should be fine. Mom is beautiful, after all!

Yeah! It will be fine!

‘I wonder what Grandma is like.’

I forced a smile while deliberately thinking about something else.

* * *