Chapter 1028: Pulling Strings(1)

"I'm going to ask Mrs. Lee Ji-Yeon to give Gong-Ju a role!"

Miso said she was going to ask Writer Lee Ji-Yeon for one of the roles in The Land of Happiness so that Jin Gong-Ju, who had been heartbroken after her mother left, could find the strength to keep going.

"You're going to ask Mrs. Lee.. to give Gong-Ju a role? That's pulling strings."

Miso blinked with wide eyes. "What's 'pulling strings'?"

"Ah. It's similar to asking for a favor, but it has a slightly negative meaning."

Miso's eyes grew even wider in surprise. "Oh. I... I didn't mean it in a bad way..."

"I know. I know you didn't mean anything bad by it."

Miso thought for a moment before answering. "Um... then can't we just ask her nicely? If Gong-Ju acts with me, maybe she'll forget about being separated from her mom, even if it's just a little. Gong-Ju has gotten really, really good at acting lately. And if I help her, she'll get even better."

With only one goal in mind—to help Jin Gong-Ju—Miso said she would do everything she could to support her and asked if she could be given a role. However, I couldn't grant her request so easily. Lee Ji-Yeon hated people asking for roles. That was why, whenever I wanted to recommend an actor to her, I usually just told her I knew someone talented and suggested holding an audition.

There was no way I could simply hand Jin Gong-Ju a role just because Miso wanted it.

"Miso. I don't think I can ask Mrs. Lee to give Gong-Ju a role."

"Why not?"

"If I recommend an actor who isn't ready yet and they ruin the performance, the entire drama could end up suffering. And if that happens, the writer who cast that actor will get blamed. Miso, do you want Mrs. Lee to be criticized?"

Miso froze, then quickly shook her head. "No... I don't. I don't want Mrs. Lee to get blamed."

"Right?"

"Yes." Realizing she had only been thinking about one side of things, Miso lowered her head and apologized. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to help Gong-Ju. I was wrong."

Seeing Miso so dejected made my heart ache a little. Just then, Yoo-Jin hugged Miso and quickly typed something on her tablet.

[Miso, how about asking Gong-Ju to go to the amusement park with us? Or maybe we could take a trip to Jeju Island. Mom's off this week, so we can all go together, eat lots of delicious food, and have fun.]

Still wrapped in Yoo-Jin's arms, Miso nodded. "Okay, Mom. I'll do that."

Miso gave up on the idea. Then a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

'Wait a second. What if Miso's right? What if Gong-Ju really can pull off the role?'

Lately, Jin Gong-Ju's acting had improved so much that she was earning praise even in other productions. And Miso had a sharp eye for talent. There was no way she had recommended Jin Gong-Ju without thinking it through.

Miso might not have understood that recommending the wrong actor could put Lee Ji-Yeon in a difficult position, but she was smart enough to know that carelessly recommending someone could cause problems.

Besides, I needed to turn Jin Gong-Ju into a star as quickly as possible. The more famous she became, the harder it would be for Kim Dong-Soo and Kim Ae-Ja to lay a hand on her.

'All right. Let's do it.'

The moment I made up my mind, I started thinking about whether there was any role that might suit Jin Gong-Ju. Given her current mental state, I couldn't recommend a character who required a long, demanding performance. That meant it had to be a brief but memorable role.

Then it came to me in a flash. The perfect role to make Miso's wish come true did exist—It was Lee Sol-Ji, a character who appeared in only three episodes of The Land of Happiness.

Lee Sol-Ji was a character who appeared from Episodes 15 through 17 before leaving the story. A role that lasted only three episodes, she was a young leukemia patient whom Yoon Kkot-Nim met at a rehabilitation center.

Despite being diagnosed with a terminal illness, Lee Sol-Ji remained cheerful and brightened the lives of everyone around her, completely transforming Yoon Kkot-Nim's gloomy personality. She was, in fact, one of the story's most important characters.

However, because she only appeared in three episodes of a daily drama, the agencies all kept their star child actors to themselves and only recommended children who weren't quite as skilled.

That meant if I recommended Jin Gong-Ju for the role, I could not only make Miso's wish come true, but also genuinely help both Lee Ji-Yeon and the drama. After all, Jin Gong-Ju was simply a far better child actor than any of the ones they had recommended.

So I carefully spoke to Miso. "Miso. Before I recommend Gong-Ju to Mrs. Lee, would it be okay if your mom and I audition her first? If she passes, then I'll recommend her."

Still in her mother's arms, Miso looked up at me in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah. The only role I think she could take is Lee Sol-Ji, who only appears in three episodes. Would that be okay?"

Miso answered with a startled expression, "I-I was going to suggest that one too! I thought if Gong-Ju played Lee Sol-Ji, she'd become a lot brighter, just like Sol-Ji."

'Looks like we were thinking the exact same thing.'

"Perfect. Mrs. Lee's coming around lunchtime tomorrow, so we'll test her in the morning first and then make the recommendation."

"Okay!"

Just then, Yoo-Jin hurriedly typed something on her tablet.

[Oppa. Are you sure about this?]

"Yeah. But I want you to sit in on the preliminary audition tomorrow morning too. If it doesn't feel right, we just won't show it to the writer."

After thinking it over, Yoo-Jin nodded.

[Okay. We can't let Mrs. Lee get put in a difficult position because of Miso.]

"Exactly."

Judging by the sharp look in Yoo-Jin's eyes, she was probably going to judge the audition even more strictly than Lee Ji-Yeon herself. Just then, I noticed Miso fiddling with her phone.

I said, "Miso. Gong-Ju is doing a sleep study, so she won't be able to answer calls until dawn. Leave her a detailed message on Kk Talk."

"Oh, right. Okay."

"And help her as much as you can so she passes."

Miso grinned and gave me a confident thumbs-up. "Just leave it to me!"

She looked as confident as a star instructor promising perfect exam scores.

***

The next day, just after noon, the entire country was still buzzing over yesterday's local election results.

Unlike the by-elections, where the ruling party had suffered a crushing defeat, this time it had secured a decisive victory. As a result, the president would have little difficulty governing for the remainder of the term. Since all of this happened after Assemblyman Park Sang-Gon stepped down as party leader, it dealt quite a blow to the reputation of the former party chief.

Unlike the outside world, however, an unusual tension filled the first-floor living room of our house. The moment Lee Ji-Yeon returned from her family trip, I had immediately asked if we could hold an audition for the role.

"You want to hold an audition for Lee Sol-Ji right now?" asked Lee Ji-Yeon.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Weren't there already several candidates? We even received their preliminary audition videos."

"There were. But the agencies didn't send any truly capable child actors. They all saw it as a character who disappears after only three episodes."

Lee Ji-Yeon grumbled. "An actor can become a star with just one episode if they perform well. Three episodes are more than enough! Idiots! Do they even realize what kind of character this is?"

She was genuinely angry that a role she had created with such care was being dismissed. I waited quietly until she calmed down.

Once she did, she looked at me. "So... you think Gong-Ju is right for the role?"

"Yes. I evaluated her myself before you arrived. Yoo-Jin agreed too."

Lee Ji-Yeon had come home earlier than expected, so we only had time to test a single scene. Even so, that alone was enough to confirm Jin Gong-Ju was already better than any of the children the agencies had sent. On top of that, Yoo-Jin had given her approval as well, though just barely.

"Since both Yoon-Ho and Yoo-Jin are recommending her, I'll give it a chance... but in that state, can she even audition?"

Perhaps it was because of the overwhelming presence Lee Ji-Yeon exuded, but Jin Gong-Ju had completely frozen. It was very unlike her from before.

"She'll be different once she starts acting."

She had always performed well in front of us, so I answered without hesitation.

Then Miso shot her hand into the air. "Gong-Ju will do great!"

Jin Gong-Ju finally nodded and answered nervously. "Y-Yes. I... I practiced a lot..."

Lee Ji-Yeon stared at Jin Gong-Ju intently. "Lee Sol-Ji is the character who changes Yoon Kkot-Nim into someone bright and warm. She's an incredibly important role. If you still look this lifeless once the acting starts, I won't need to see anything else. I'll cut you immediately. Understood?"

Jin Gong-Ju forced herself to answer with as much determination as she could muster. "Yes, Mrs. Lee."

"Okay. Episode 15, Scene 10. Lee Sol-Ji and Yoon Kkot-Nim's first meeting. We'll only watch that one scene."

Apparently not expecting much, Lee Ji-Yeon intended to judge her from that single scene alone.

"Okay."

"Start whenever you're ready."

Just then, Miso raised her hand. "Mrs. Lee, can we wait just one minute before we start?"

"Why? Is one minute really going to make a difference?"

Miso answered confidently, "Yes!"

Lee Ji-Yeon thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Fine. Do whatever makes you comfortable."

The moment she received permission, Miso grabbed Jin Gong-Ju by the hand and led her to one side of the living room. Then she leaned over and whispered something into Jin Gong-Ju's ear. Jin Gong-Ju nodded. The tense look disappeared from her face, replaced by one of quiet resolve.

'Miso... what on earth did you say to her?'

***

Episode 15, Scene 10 was the scene where Yoon Kkot-Nim, played by Miso, met Lee Sol-Jji, the role Jin Gong-Ju was auditioning for, for the very first time at Hanmaeum Children's Rehabilitation Hospital.

After being adopted by a kind, wealthy couple, Yoon Kkot-Nim came to the hospital to determine whether treatment could restore the use of her legs. She requested a private room for the week-long series of examinations, but because none were available, she ended up in a six-bed ward instead. That was where she met Lee Sol-Ji, the hospital's longtime little mascot.

Seven-year-old Lee Sol-Ji was a terminal leukemia patient, but despite her diagnosis, she never lost her smile or her unwavering belief that she would recover. Because of her infectious optimism, the nurses had nicknamed her "Happy."

As Yoon Kkot-Nim spent time with Lee Sol-Ji in the hospital, she slowly began to change. Ironically, however, the two girls about to perform that first meeting looked like the complete opposite of their characters.

Miso, who was supposed to portray a gloomy Yoon Kkot-Nim, sat in a chair standing in for a wheelchair with a bright smile on her face. Meanwhile, Jin Gong-Ju wore the most solemn expression in the world.

It was a relief that the anxiety had vanished from Jin Gong-Ju's face, but she looked so different from before that I began to worry whether she would actually be able to deliver the performance.

"Then we'll begin."

After calling it out, Miso settled into the chair that served as her wheelchair and slowly drew in a breath. The Yoon Kkot-Nim she had to portray carried three crushing burdens at once: the guilt of believing she had caused her parents' deaths, the pain of being separated from her brothers and sisters at the orphanage, and the helplessness brought on by paralysis from the waist down. It was an exceptionally difficult role.

Yet with only a few deep breaths, Miso immersed herself completely in Yoon Kkot-Nim's unbearable suffering.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Wearing a chilling expression, Miso repeatedly struck her own legs with both hands.

『These useless legs... They're nothing but dead weight. Why can't they just cut them off...?』

The instant I heard Miso's ragged voice, every hair on my body stood on end.

Just then, Jin Gong-Ju closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her breath was even slower and deeper than Miso's. Then her eyes flew open.

However, the anxious expression that had filled her face was completely gone. Wearing a bright smile, she excitedly looked from side to side before running around the living room.

『Grandpa! Grandma! A girl my age is moving into our room today! I finally get to have a friend!』

Seeing Jin Gong-Ju suddenly become so lively, Lee Ji-Yeon finally pushed her glasses up and began watching with genuine interest.

I had just let out a sigh of relief when Miso struck her legs harder and harder.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Miso was hitting hard enough that I began worrying she would leave bruises. Watching Miso, Jin Gong-Ju ran over and threw herself over Miso's legs, shielding them with her own body.

『Ow! Ow! Stop it! Stop hitting them!』

Miso froze with her hand suspended in midair. Looking down quietly at Jin Gong-Ju, she spoke in a low voice.

『Why are you saying "ow"? I wasn't hitting you.』

Still hugging Miso's legs, Jin Gong-Ju smiled brightly. Just like Miso often looked up at me, Jin Gong-Ju gazed up at her with crescent-shaped eyes before sticking out her tongue playfully.

『Not me. Your legs!』

『What?』

『Shh! Listen.』

Jin Gong-Ju placed both hands gently on Miso's legs and pressed her ear against them as if they were actually speaking.

『See? Your legs are saying they hurt! They're telling you to stop hitting them. They said it hurts!』

Miso frowned as though she were looking at someone completely bizarre.

『...Who are you?』

Resting her chin on Miso's legs, Jin Gong-Ju placed both hands beside her cheeks and flashed a V-sign.

『My name's Lee Sol-Ji! Everyone calls me Happy. By the way, you're really pretty! What's your name?』

Although Miso still sounded irritated, she answered the question without hesitation.

『Yoon Kkot-Nim.』

Jin Gong-Ju beamed.

『Wow! Your name's just as pretty as your face. Let's be friends, okay?』

『Friends?』

『Yep! Then today is Day One for us! Day One as friends! To celebrate, let's shake hands!』

『Uh... um...』

Completely unfazed by Miso's annoyed reaction, Jin Gong-Ju happily continued waving her hand in invitation.

Just like that, she perfectly portrayed Lee Sol-Ji, fearlessly stepping into Yoon Kkot-Nim's prickly, hedgehog-like world and naturally making herself at home there.

***

When the scene ended, both girls stood side by side, breathing heavily while holding each other's hands.

Unlike before, the look in Lee Ji-Yeon's eyes as she watched them had become warm. Jin Gong-Ju's performance possessed the same vivid, lifelike detail that made Miso's acting so compelling.

Lee Ji-Yeon turned to me. "Yoon-Ho. Do you still have the preliminary audition videos the other applicants sent in?"

"Yes."

I handed her the tablet containing the child actors' audition recordings. After taking it, Lee Ji-Yeon quickly flipped through the roughly twenty finalists. However, the difference in quality compared to Jin Gong-Ju's performance was so obvious that she skipped through them at a rapid pace.

"...There's a huge gap." Lee Ji-Yeon handed the tablet back to me before addressing the two girls. "Let's watch one more scene, just to be certain. Episode 17. Yoon Kkot-Nim and Lee Sol-Ji's farewell. Can you do it?"

In Episode 17, Lee Sol-Ji's condition had worsened, leaving her bedridden as she said goodbye to Yoon Kkot-Nim, whose examinations had finally come to an end.

In the drama, Yoon Kkot-Nim had gradually opened her heart to Lee Sol-Ji over the course of a week and had become noticeably brighter. On top of that, she had just been told that the nerves connecting to her lower body were still intact and that with proper rehabilitation, she might walk again.

Lee Sol-Ji, on the other hand, had rapidly deteriorated from the side effects of chemotherapy. Their circumstances had completely reversed, yet this was the scene Lee Ji-Yeon wanted them to perform.

Jin Gong-Ju nodded, looking much more confident than before. "Yes, ma'am."

Just then, Miso raised her hand again. "Mrs. Lee! Could we have one more minute?"

"Again?"

"Yes!"

"Hmm... I don't know what you're up to, but sure."

"Thank you."

Miso took Jin Gong-Ju's hand and led her to a corner of the living room. Squatting down, she whispered something into Jin Gong-Ju's ear. Once again, Jin Gong-Ju nodded with a determined expression.

At that moment, Lee Ji-Yeon turned to me. "Yoon-Ho. Do you have any idea what those two are doing?"

"I'm sorry. I have no idea either."

Lee Ji-Yeon looked toward Yoo-Jin, but Yoo-Jin simply shook her head.

A moment later, after finishing their brief conversation, the two girls returned to the center of the living room. Jin Gong-Ju lay down on the floor beside a chair. Miso gently draped a small towel over Jin Gong-Ju's stomach. Jin Gong-Ju slowly closed her eyes and steadied her breathing.

Watching her, Miso called out to us, "We're starting!"

Before anyone could even respond, Jin Gong-Ju began taking slow, uneven breaths, soon breaking into ragged, choking gasps. The Jin Gong-Ju I had seen earlier hadn't been able to immerse herself this quickly. I couldn't understand what had caused such a dramatic change.

Then, just as before, Miso slipped into character in the blink of an eye. Sitting in the chair, she looked down with worried eyes.

『Sol-Ji... Are you hurting a lot?』

Keeping her eyes closed, Jin Gong-Ju answered as her entire body trembled.

『Yeah... but... I'm okay!』

At that instant, tears streamed down Miso's cheeks.

『You're not okay, you idiot!』

The speed with which Miso could bring herself to tears was astonishing no matter how many times I witnessed it. Yet what surprised me even more was everything that followed from Jin Gong-Ju.

『Ungh!』

Trying to sit up, Jin Gong-Ju moved with the frailty of a real patient. She pushed herself up with her arms, only to lose her strength and collapse flat onto her back. She kept struggling to lift herself, panting for breath so convincingly that I almost asked if she was actually all right.

After several futile attempts, she finally gave up and lay flat again.

Thump.

Slowly opening her eyes, Jin Gong-Ju painfully raised her trembling left hand and formed a V-sign. Her index and middle fingers shook violently, only half extended.

『At least...you got better... so... I'm okay.』

At that moment, Jin Gong-Ju's hand fell limply back to the floor. Miso immediately reached out with both hands and grabbed it tightly.

Sobbing, she cried out toward the people around her.

『Nurse unnie! Sol-Ji's really hurting! Nurse unnie!!』

『Cough... Cough...』

Clutching her chest, Jin Gong-Ju broke into violent coughing. She writhed in pain so convincingly that I wanted to stop the performance right then and there.

I was still marveling at her incredible acting when I heard a cry beside me.

"Stop!"

Even though they hadn't reached the halfway point of Episode 17's scene, Lee Ji-Yeon abruptly called a halt. Both girls froze, startled.

Eyes wide, Lee Ji-Yeon looked at Miso. "Miso. Earlier, when you kept taking Gong-Ju aside and whispering in her ear... what exactly did you say?"

Miso hesitated before answering, "Um... I was coaching her."

'Miso coached her? In that short amount of time?'

I couldn't believe it. When directors or writers coached actors, it usually took quite a while to work through the details of a performance. Even Lee Ji-Yeon sounded unconvinced.

"Even experienced professional directors can't coach an actor properly in that little time. Miso... you're hiding something from me, aren't you?"

For the first time, Miso's confident demeanor wavered as she nervously glanced around.

'So there really is a secret.'

However, she couldn't hide it from Lee Ji-Yeon. The answer to that question could determine whether Jin Gong-Ju got the role.

"Miso. Tell her," I said.

After hesitating for a moment, Miso reached into her handbag and pulled out her phone. "The truth is... I actually coached her with this. What we whispered to each other earlier was just to help her remember it."

On the screen of the phone Miso held out was the secret behind how she had transformed Jin Gong-Ju's acting so dramatically.