* * *

“What?”

Deok-soo adjusted his sunglasses and spoke.

“Is there a problem?”

Ki Cheo-woon quickly withdrew his hand and took a step back.

‘He does look quite intimidating.’

He seems like someone you shouldn’t mess with. And with such people,

“S-sorry.”

You feel compelled to apologize, even without knowing why.

“Alright then.”

“Uh, may I ask something? Is this kid, Kongja, really three years old?”

Deok-soo’s voice dropped lower.

“Find out for yourself.”

Huh?

‘Usually, he’d kindly explain. Is he upset?’

Kim Deok-soo turned away abruptly as soon as he finished speaking. I blinked.

‘Did Ki Cheo-woon do something to Kim Deok-soo?’

No, there wasn’t even a chance for a conversation in the first place, was there?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Kim Deok-soo patted my shoulder.

“If you’re sleepy, you can take a nap.”

I just laughed.

‘Honestly, it’s none of my business anyway.’

Well, I hope they don’t end up fighting.

I closed my eyes and then opened them again. Maybe I was a bit tired. Honestly, I was feeling sleepy.

* * *

The child was sleeping quietly in the car seat. Kim Deok-soo spoke as he turned the steering wheel.

“Yes, that happened.”

A familiar voice came through the earphones.

-So you’re saying that Ki Cheo-woon was bullying our boy?

“Yes. It seemed like he liked him later, but at the beginning, that was the case.”

-The nerve of him, talking behind my son’s back?

The employer’s gritting teeth were clearly audible.

“He even said the boy only got in because of connections.”

-That jerk! Connections? I get calls daily asking to cast him!

“He seemed very narrow-minded.”

-If it’s about connections, that implies I put him in. How dare he see me like that!

There was a cracking sound, as if the employer was stretching his joints.

-Thanks for letting me know.

“It’s my job. Ah, the filming went really well. All the staff and actors were impressed.”

-Is that so? The boy isn’t too tired, is he?

“He’s asleep now.”

-The filming environment isn’t too harsh for a child actor, right?

“No, it seems quite good. Everyone is considerate.”

-That’s a relief. Oh, I’ve got to go for the next shoot. I’ll hang up now.

“Yes. I’ll be in touch again.”

The call ended. Kim Deok-soo glanced at the boy in the rearview mirror.

‘He’s not an ordinary kid.’

Deok-soo didn’t know much about acting. But he could tell that what the boy was doing wasn’t typical for a child actor.

‘To be that good.’

He could tell just by seeing how everyone admired the boy.

‘He learned Hangul in just five hours.’

It was truly astounding.

The person who had taken care of the boy said they had read a lot of fairy tales to him.

But even so, for a young child to learn Hangul in five hours was nothing short of a miracle.

‘No matter how effective the Hangul apron is, it still seems too much.’

No matter how he thought about it, the boy had to be a genius.

The kid was extraordinarily talented.

‘Is he good at acting because he’s a genius?’

Kim Deok-soo looked at the sleeping boy in the rearview mirror.

‘Honestly, being a genius isn’t a problem.’

The boy’s forehead was unusually round. He felt like brushing aside the loose strands of hair.

“He’s so cute, after all.”

Whether he’s a genius or not, does it really matter?

Kim Deok-soo mumbled to himself as he turned the steering wheel.

There was still an hour left to get to Seongbok-dong.

* * *

“When the Wind Touches, Surpasses 5 Million Views”
-The success of a low-budget film
-Lead actor Han Woojin fulfills the 5 million mark

President Seo scrolled down the mouse wheel.

Several articles appeared on the monitor.

President Seo closed the portal window full of ads and went to a community site.

As expected, the recent news was already flooding the boards.
└ When the Wind Touches is really fun.
└ Han Woojin’s acting was great.
└ The kid in the first scene is so cute.
└ That’s Kongja.
└ Ah, that kid is Kongja?
└ Yep.
└ I want to see more of him, anything else?
└ Kongja_Compilation [- click this]
└ Thanks, thanks

“Looks like another one joined the fandom.”

President Seo sighed.

“His popularity is soaring.”

Honestly, he thought the boy would get attention for his looks and then be forgotten.

‘But this kid keeps causing a stir.’

From photos to variety shows, commercials, movies, and now the drama they’re shooting.

‘We’ll have to see about the last one, but everything so far has been successful?’

How is that even possible?

‘Thanks to this, the public is taking notice.’

President Seo sighed and folded his arms.
So, the fanbase has grown.

‘And significantly.’

Few people dislike a cute kid.

‘With this unique charm, kind personality, and great acting, how can they not like him?’

President Seo tilted his head.

“That means he’s perfect.”

But he’s still just a kid.

President Seo pondered again.

“Really, how is this possible?”

In the monitor, Kongja kept smiling. Someone had already made a moving GIF and posted it.

President Seo scrolled down and clicked on a post.

[Interested in Kongja, where can I go?]
Title says it all.
The kid is so cute.
I want to keep watching him, where should I go?
└ Links, links, [-Cafe and site. Go to the one that fits your vibe.
└ Thanks, thanks

President Seo clicked on the link.
[A cafe for those who like Kongja.]

[Must Read] Operating Rules
[Must Read] Kongja is still a child. Be careful when posting.

[Must Read] No cults or viral marketing.
President Seo mumbled.

“Another one popped up.”

He bookmarked it silently.

“There are a lot of people.”

Moreover, the boards were incredibly detailed.

‘What kind of age range is in this group?’

President Seo clicked on each one. There were dinner tables of housewives and photos of teenagers’ school lunches.

“What is this hybrid?”

President Seo clicked on ‘Kongja Resource Room.’ It contained all the programs Kongja appeared in.

‘Wow.’

It was more organized than he had expected.

“It’s massive.”

At this level, it was likely to catch the attention of major portals.

President Seo clicked on another board. There, children wearing clothes from Kongja’s commercials were displayed.

‘But all their faces are covered.’

Apparently, the notice instructed them to cover faces in the photos.

‘Did something happen?’

President Seo clicked on the photo.

“I bought it as a gift for my niece. I barely managed to get it.”

“Where did you buy it?”

“Nonhyeon?”

“Oh, I saw your post and called, but they said it was sold out. I was too late :(:( I want to buy the pink bunny outfit, but it sells out so fast :(:(:( We’ll just have to wait for more to be made :(:(:( Is the outfit as good as they say?”

“Yes. It’s cute and of good quality. The Kongja outfit is a bit much, but the bunny hoodie is a great gift. My niece was so excited :).”

The atmosphere of the café was intriguing. President Seo continued to scroll. Then suddenly, he froze.

“A discussion about Kongja’ birthday gift?”

“Oh no. What is this? A birthday gift?”

* * *