I Will Live As An Actor

t.

But I, who had been worn out in the theater scene, knew how to light a fire in the audience’s hearts.
Rather, this attention and spotlight helped calm my racing heart.

Now, it was time to start.

Wearing the black tuxedo that Park Suyeong personally chose for me, I sat on the chair and smiled at the numerous live broadcast cameras.
Just like I had become an experienced singer at this moment.

* * *

“Yeongguk is a natural performer!”

Writer Choi Eunsuk looked like a young girl herself, her mouth wide open with joy.
The boy’s performance was that remarkable.
Not only was his singing outstanding, but his stage manners were also excellent.
From time to time, the glances he sent to the audience and the viewers beyond the TV screen were enough to make many women’s hearts flutter.

Encore!

As proof, the voices calling for an encore, along with the cheers that had never been heard at the Acting Awards, only grew louder.
Even veteran actors were intoxicated by the boy’s singing, and the actors famous for being somber clapped their hands with contented smiles.

He’s really something.

PD Yoo Myeonghan also swallowed his admiration.
He knew the boy was born with acting talent, but he never dreamed he would be so quick-witted on stage.
He was so natural that it appeared to be all part of the plan, except for those who knew that the live broadcast nearly went awry.

Undoubtedly, behind the stage, the producer in charge must have been shouting with joy.
Soon, the MC’s witty remarks signaled the end of the performance.
The MC’s relieved expression showed that even he hadn’t expected the performance to go so smoothly.

“Aigo, my baby!”

Park Suyeong greeted me warmly as I returned to my seat.

“Why are you like this all of a sudden, noona!”

“You used to call me ‘mom’ just fine, but it’s always like pulling teeth with you.
Anyway, your singing was amazing!”

“That’s because we’re filming, and thanks for the compliment, noona!”

She hugged my shoulder, praising me like a proud older sister.
Park Suyeong was usually known for being grumpy, but at this moment, she was more affectionate than anyone else.
Yeon Su’s face was so red that she couldn’t even lift her head properly.
Meanwhile, Yang Minjeong’s expression still wasn’t bright, as if she’d swallowed something bitter.

Anyway.

Was it fear or disgust that made her avoid the situation? It was no longer worth paying any attention to.
After all, she had dressed up for this attention-grabbing event.
But now that the attention was elsewhere, she couldn’t help but be annoyed.

“Yeon Su, do you have a cold?”

I touched Yeon Su’s flushed forehead, but I didn’t feel any heat.
Nevertheless, she hung her head even lower.
Just before the awards ceremony started, she was chatting away like a little sparrow.

“Then, for our first award, we’ll select the best couple from the various works that have brightened KBC Broadcasting Station this year!”

It’s an unusual order for the ceremony.
It seemed they thought that changing things up would be better than following the same old, predictable sequence.
The audience was quite responsive, with people continuously calling out the names of their favorite couples.
The host looked at the paper containing the winning couple’s names, and his expression was unusual.

“Unbelievable! The best couple was born in the miniseries Man of August—!”

What’s so surprising about that? Most people had already expected this result.
After all, Man of August had achieved a viewership rating of 39.1% in its final episode, causing nothing short of a syndrome.
Yang Minjeong confidently got up from her seat as if she knew this would happen.
She looked at me as if it was to show off.
But then…

“Jang Yeongguk, who played young Kim Hajin, and Yeon Su, who played young Son Yerin! This is the first time in acting awards history that child actors have won the Best Couple Award!”

What?

Flustered, Yeon Su and I went up on stage as people applauded and cheered for us.
Finally, I could understand what she had been hoping for: to win the Best Couple Award.
The adult actor who played Kim Hajin clapped and even whistled for us while Yang Minjeong was visibly grinding her teeth in anger.
Although it was an unintended situation, it somehow felt satisfying.

“Man of August might not be an exaggeration to say that it brought about a regional dialect syndrome in Korea! How about Jang Yeongguk, the child actor at the center of it all, shares his thoughts on winning the award in the dialect?”

The audience reacted enthusiastically to the host’s wit.
Yeon Su still had an excited expression on her face.
She might be so overwhelmed with emotion that she wouldn’t be able to speak properly.
In cases like this, it was customary for the elder to step forward first.
I approach the microphone, holding the award plaque and bouquet.

“Actor Jang Yeongguk, no, Kim Hajin here!”

Cheers poured out once again.
Was I nervous? Of course, it was only natural.
Even in my past life, when I was obsessed with acting, I never received a cute award like this Best Couple Award.
But now, as young Kim Hajin, I felt like I could greet the audience.

“I ate a lot of gamtae growing by the sea.
It’s funny because back then, there was so much of it lying around on the mudflats that no one wanted, but now, it has become gold seaweed that people can’t find enough of.
It’s the same with this award.
I wouldn’t have been able to receive it without the viewers.
So, here it goes!”

I made a small heart with my fingers toward the live broadcast camera.
The finger heart trend started now.
Just like young Kim Hajin, I made a shy smile and boldly confess my gratitude to the audience and viewers beyond the TV screen.

“I’ll become a great actor with this small heart!”