* * *

Seeing my empty bowl, Mr. Deok-soo wiped my mouth again and helped me down from the high chair.

“Let’s brush our teeth.”

“Yes!”

“Good boy. Really.”

The lady shook her head as she watched us go to brush our teeth.

“Well, it is a strange sight.”

Who would have thought someone who looks like he works in the underworld would be doing this.

I awkwardly smiled.

Well, I was getting used to it, despite everything.

* * *
The door opens. You come in.

“Yay!”

I cheered internally.

I had seen this person once before. I smiled brightly.

“A big catch!”

Recognizing who it was, I couldn’t stop smiling.

“Director Lee Jin-hwan!”

He was at my first birthday party.

“Nice to see you.”

Welcome. I’ve been waiting.

“It’s for ‘When the Wind Touches.'”

Casting hasn’t been decided yet, has it?

‘It was a good movie.’

Though it flopped.

‘The script was good, but the actors’ performances weren’t great.’

I heard the reason later.

‘Investment.’

I could roughly guess why.

It was Director Lee Jin-hwan’s first film, and it was in the ‘fantasy’ genre.

‘It was probably too complex.’

I smiled widely.

‘You finally took the bait I’ve been dangling since the first birthday party.’

Nice to meet you. Let’s work well together.

The director and another person entered the living room. I greeted them politely.

“Hello!”

“Oh, Kongja. Do you remember me?”

Of course I remember you.

“But I shouldn’t say that, right?”

It probably wouldn’t be usual.

In such cases, it’s best to gloss over it.

“Nice to meet you!”

“Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you too. You’ve grown a lot since then.”

Of course. It’s been months already.

‘Children grow so quickly at this age.’

Well, I might not notice since it’s my body.

“Thank you!”

The director said, leaning in.

“Oh my, you still speak so sweetly. But, who is this?”

“This is Kim Deok-soo.”

Mr. Deok-soo said, pushing his stern, sunglass-wearing face forward.

“I’m the representative.”

What?

‘When did I get a representative?’

Director Jin-hwan Lee asked cautiously.

“Pardon?”

“I’ve been granted full authority by Ms. Ma Soo-jung.”

Excuse me?

‘Anyone would think he’s a lawyer.’

Regardless of my thoughts, Mr. Deok-soo continued.

“I believe I informed you in advance.”

“Oh, now that you mention it, yes. I think so.”

“Please take care of us.”

Mr. Deok-soo extended his hand. And I clearly saw it.

‘Director Jin-hwan Lee, sweating on his forehead.’

Well, anyone would be scared if someone who looked like a gangster acted like that.

Director Jin-hwan Lee reluctantly shook hands, his eyes trembling.

Oh dear.

I tugged on the director’s clothes.

“It’s okay.”

“Huh?”

“Mr. Deok-soo is a good person!”

Despite appearances, he was the one who cried watching me eat a few hours ago.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes!”

Director Jin-hwan briefly exchanged glances with his companion.

Then he took a deep breath and said.

“I want to cast you in my film.”

Kim Deok-soo nodded.

“Alright.”

“This film is something I’ve been preparing for a long time.”

“I see.”

“It’s my official debut.”

“Oh, so you’re debuting.”

Mr. Deok-soo didn’t say much. But Director Jin-hwan clutched his chest.

“I wanted to do it sooner, but somehow…”

“I understand. I know the feeling.”

A slight smile appeared on Mr. Deok-soo’s lips.

What?

‘Is that a smile?’

But because it’s Mr. Deok-soo,

‘Honestly, it’s kind of creepy.’

Sure enough, Director Jin-hwan swallowed hard.

“Life is about direction, not speed.”

Oh.

That was very wise. But a flustered Director Jin-hwan exclaimed.

“Right! There’s no set order!”

Oh dear.

‘That’s not what he meant.’

Deok-soo calmly reiterated.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Yes! Anyway, we need Kongja!”

The responses were becoming more and more disjointed.

“Why?”

“What?”

“I understand Kongja is cute, charming, kind, and eats well. But why does it have to be Kongja?”

Why does his question feel so intimidating?

Perhaps because of this, Director Jin-hwan’s eyes trembled violently.

The flustered director shouted immediately.

“If Kongja appears, Han Woo-jin will join too!”

Huh?

‘Even I’m surprised by this.’

Why mention Han Woo-jin here?

“Director! How can you say that now?”

“But it’s true! Han Woo-jin said he would agree if Kongja was in it!”

“It could have been a joke!”

“Even if it’s a joke, we have to try! If Han Woo-jin joins, we won’t have to worry about funding!”

Hmm. So that’s the situation.

‘Like a domino effect.’

If I appear, Han Woo-jin will too, and if Han Woo-jin joins, securing investment will be easier.

‘It must be desperate for the director.’

But, is it really true?

“I’m grasping at straws here! If Kongja doesn’t do it, it will be a disaster! I might have to cast that kid from last time and even the president’s son from Lion Agency!”

Ah, the woes of a low-budget film.

‘No wonder that film flopped back then.’

Indeed, the casting was a mess.

“I see.”

Mr. Deok-soo’s deep voice resonated. Honestly, I was fine, but the two of them weren’t.

‘Do they have goosebumps on their arms?’

I grabbed the director’s clothes again and said.

“It’s okay!”

“Huh?”

“Mr. Deok-soo doesn’t hit people!”

Despite his appearance, he’s far from violent.

“R-really? Kongja?”

“Yes!”

Trust me, Director.

When Director Jin-hwan tried to hold my hand tightly, Mr. Deok-soo’s hand blocked it.

“You can’t!”

“What? Why?”

“You haven’t sanitized your hands.”

Mr. Deok-soo pulled out a wet wipe from his suit pocket.

‘It says ‘contains alcohol’ in big letters.’

Mr. Deok-soo calmly handed them wipes one by one.

Director Jin-hwan and his companion blankly wiped their hands.
After confirming they thoroughly cleaned their hands, Mr. Deok-soo said.

“Now you may touch.”

“Oh, okay.”

Honestly, I thought Director Jin-hwan wouldn’t hold my hand.

But maybe out of fear, he grabbed my hand as soon as Mr. Deok-soo finished speaking.

“I trust you! Kongja!”

Thank you very much, but don’t rely on a 2-year-old!

“I understand your difficult situation well.”

“Thank you for understanding! But that’s not all! The moment I first saw Kongja, I knew I wanted to cast him in this project.”

I see.

‘Honestly, I’m curious too.’

Although Director Jin-hwan’s debut film was a disaster, he eventually became a hit director.

‘And he won many awards too.’

What if I joined the project that flopped due to casting issues?

‘Besides, this film was too good to fail.’

The script was really good.

‘I even found the script separately later.’

I clicked my tongue, feeling it was a waste.

‘I wondered how it would have been if I had done it.’

Of course, with my previous life’s face, it would have been tough.

Mr. Deok-soo spoke.

“I read the script yesterday too. It certainly wasn’t a violent story.”

What? You checked that too?

“Our project has none of that.”

“There were scenes that might scare a child.”

“Oh, that scene! If Kongja participates, we’ll prepare psychological care as well.”

“I see. Thank you, but I think that’s expected.”

It was a reasonable statement.

* * *