* * *

Thinking back, I never really had a chance to show my acting skills.

‘No, even in the emergency room, and commercials, it was acting.’

But it wasn’t satisfying.

‘All I did was smile brightly.’

Maybe that’s why I was so eager for real acting.

‘When the Wind Touches’ was like an oasis to me.

‘I need to get recognized for my acting skills!’

I knew how thrilling that could be.

‘Ah, I’m excited.’

My heart raced. As I was smiling at the thought of acting, the director, watching the monitor, said,

“Was our movie always this classy?”

What did he mean?

“Right?”

“It’s a low-budget film, right?”

“Yeah.”

“But it looks like this?”

The director’s voice trembled slightly.

“Wow! Forget the lighting and everything else, just being pretty makes it look so classy.”

Ah.

“Exactly. Even in old clothes, he must look like a young master returning home.”

“Really, his face is amazing.”

Everyone was admiring my face.

‘Well, that’s nice, but you should also admire my acting skills soon.’

Of course, any compliment was nice.

“Oh, if he acts well with that face, it’ll be perfect.”

“Come on, director. Expecting that too would be greedy.”

“Right? We have Woo-jin because of Kongja.”

Oh no.

‘Damn. Their expectations are too low.’

Since they got investment because of me, nothing else matters?

‘No, don’t be like that!’

I sighed involuntarily. The director adjusted his glasses and said,

‘If they expect master-level acting, I’d be a thief, right?’

‘Right.’

No, director. Just be a thief.

‘Why aren’t you more ambitious?’

You’re not like this.

“Kongja.”

The director walked up to me, bent down, and made eye contact.

“Kongjas, you’re going to be hit by a big fan now.”

Oh, acting direction.

“Actually, you need to smile subtly, um, assistant director. How can a kid smile subtly?”

“I don’t know? When they see tonkatsu?”

Excuse me. I’m still under two years old.

‘I can’t eat that. Besides, wouldn’t a kid run away from the food if they saw tonkatsu?’

That’s far from a subtle smile.

“What should we do? He needs to smile subtly.”

“Right. How about telling him to smile like when he sees his third favorite thing?”

“Isn’t that too abstract? Would he understand?”

You know me well.

I laughed awkwardly.

‘I understand, really.’

I know why I need to smile in this scene.

‘When the Wind Touches’ is about a man with superpowers.

‘Not powers to move or break things.’

The man could see the threads tied to people’s wrists.

‘The protagonist saw people’s connections.’

And the story unfolded from there.

‘And the scene we’re shooting now is the first scene.’

The film starts with the narration –

‘The wind feels nice.’

Laundry hanging on the line swayed, and the camera slowly focused on the child.

The young protagonist smiles as he faces the wind.

‘The narration that follows was really good.’

It transitioned the story from something common to a superpower narrative.

– When the Wind Touches, the threads sway.

The audience’s curiosity was piqued by that one remark.

‘I felt the same way when I first saw it.’

I took a deep breath.

‘But you know what?’

‘We’re about to shoot the crucial first scene, and the acting direction is like this?’

I stared intently at the director.

‘I thought the failure of my first film was the actors’ fault.’

Could it be the director’s fault too?

‘Then again, maybe it flopped so hard and then succeeded because of this.’

Wait, if this film succeeds, does that mean future Lee Jin-hwan won’t happen?

I blinked.

“Lee Jin-hwan is a significant figure in Korean film history.”

Oh, boy.

‘Well, maybe not.’

Yes, that must be it! Talent doesn’t just disappear!

Director Lee Jin-hwan spoke.

“Let’s go ahead.”

“Yes! Kongja, sit over there.”

The crew moved. I sat on the porch.

Maybe because I was still small, my feet didn’t touch the floor.
I checked the camera’s position. Soon, the fan started, blowing air.

“A child who smiles subtly in the breeze.”

It wasn’t a difficult scene.

Besides, it was even easier for me.

My heart pounded.

“This is the set.”

Now, I could act.

The director shouted.

“Ready, action!”

I moved my legs slightly. The feeling of my clothes brushing against my skin was pleasant.

I lifted my head.

My hair fluttered, so I shook it slightly.

And then, I smiled like that.

“Cut. Oh, okay…….”

Was it really okay that quickly?

The fan stopped, and the breeze disappeared.

I looked at the director.

“Uh, we should try it again with a bust shot? For now, that’s it. Um…….”

The director alternated between looking at me and the screen.

“What, what is this?”

What is it? Just praise me quickly, director.

“No, I thought I was dreaming.”

“Did you, too, director?”

“Really, it was the shot I wanted. I had given up on the acting, honestly. Damn!”

Director Lee Jin-hwan suddenly pinched his own cheek.

“Ouch! It hurts.”

Excuse me. What are you doing?

“This isn’t a dream. Wow, this is crazy.”

The director slowly approached me.

“So, Kongja.”

“Yes!”

“Are you, like, a genius or something? No matter how I think about it, this can’t come from such vague acting instructions.”

At least you understand.

‘Then give more detailed directions from now on.’

Even if I can manage on my own, explanations are necessary.

‘How is this possible?’

I let out a small sigh.

‘No matter how inexperienced a director is, he needs to stay grounded.’

Still, he should have some sense of control.

No, you weren’t like this. How did you become a master?

“Huh? Kongja?”

I smiled brightly.

“Kongja likes the wind too!”

For a moment, the director was silent.

Then, as if realizing something, he clapped his hands.

Clap-

“Oh, I see.”

The director mumbled, looking at me.

“Asking if you like the wind first, huh. Then telling you to smile if you do! Ah, just don’t smile too much!”

Well.

“That’s not entirely correct, but it’s better than before.”

Please, continue to explain like that, director.

“My acting instructions have been strange since the emergency room scene.”

The director turned and shouted.

“Let’s go for another bust shot. Kongja! Can you do it the same as before?”

“Yes!”

The director hurried back to his position.

I adjusted my posture as before.

The fan’s breeze blew again.

As soon as I heard the action cue, I moved my legs again.

‘Well, maybe it’s because I’m acting.’

I felt very good.

* * *