Chapter 22: The Spark of Performance

The woman Myungwoo found puzzling, Han Siwon, was inwardly panicking at the appearance of the academy’s genius actor Kang Myungwoo, whom she had desperately wanted to see.

What, what, it’s really Kang Myungwoo? Wow, crazy……!

The academy’s genius who auditioned for a drama just days after registering, got selected as a child actor right away, shot Black and White Mask, and showed tremendous acting there.

In fact, the reason Han Siwon transferred from her previous academy to this one was the hope of seeing Kang Myungwoo at least once.

She thought if he came, he would naturally be in the highest class, so she practiced hard and got into the advanced class right upon arriving.

What do I do, I can’t look……!

From the moment Kang Myungwoo entered following the director teacher, to now when he was looking at her.

Han Siwon couldn’t meet his eyes.

She was already a fan, smitten by Kang Myungwoo’s acting in Black and White Mask, and had a shy personality that made it hard to meet eyes with a favorite celebrity.

But Han Siwon’s signature poker face hid all those emotions.

And unaware of that, Myungwoo still looked at Han Siwon with incomprehensible eyes.

Doesn’t seem like dislike or jealousy. 

What is it?

In truth, across his previous and current life, Myungwoo had never met a true fan who liked him this much up close.

In his previous life, he had fame but was an ugly supporting actor, so no spotlight, and in this life, he had only seen reactions from school kids.

Most people’s reactions were through internet comments, so Han Siwon’s response was unfamiliar to Myungwoo.

Well, no problem……?

But he didn’t feel any strong negativity or bad mood, so nothing would happen.

Myungwoo thought that and turned his head.

“Alright, today what acting shall we do……..”

After Myungwoo joined the students, Park Hyoyeon quickly started the class.

The students kept glancing at Myungwoo even while listening.

Some openly didn’t listen and stared at Myungwoo.

And among them, one man standing out in a different way, with clear hostility.

……Jealousy and outright disdain felt even here.

Jealousy toward Myungwoo who succeeded right after starting acting, and eyes like how great can you be.

Such people are common.

People he’d see often walking the actor’s path.

He had seen many in his previous life too.

But as an adult, the emotion was more complex and sticky than simple hurt pride like Jung Inha’s.

Good thing I’m inwardly over 50, a real 10-year-old would be scared stiff.

It’s not easy for a child to handle an adult man’s hostility.

“Then, who wants to act first?”

As soon as Park Hyoyeon finished, another person next to the man with deep hostility raised his hand high.

“Teacher, Kang Myungwoo student is famous for great acting, how about Myungwoo student goes first?”

“Oh, sounds good. Even if a child, if he acts that well, there’s something to learn, right?”

Instigators, huh.

People next to the man giggled at Myungwoo, saying barbed words and egging him on.

Not even funny, Myungwoo lightly averted his gaze from them and looked at Park Hyoyeon.

And laughed hollowly inside.

Park Hyoyeon, she’s watching with excitement?

No wonder Yoo Hee’s friend, similar personality.

Even liking fun situations.

She was clearly expecting the scene where Myungwoo openly crushes those guys.

Myungwoo thought that but smiled brightly and met Park Hyoyeon’s eyes.

“Hmm, shall we? What about you, Myungwoo student?”

“Yes, good.”

As Myungwoo agreed, the man and instigators’ smiles deepened, and more curious gazes poured.

Those guys, low quality…….

Pathetic, doing that to a mere 10-year-old.

But…… I want to see Kang Myungwoo’s acting directly.

Various minds mixed, but no one stopped it.

Thus, Myungwoo went beside Park Hyoyeon without interference.

“Alright, then prepare…….”

“Ah, teacher, I have one request.”

Since it’s like this, better satisfy his curiosity too.

“Hm? What is it?”

“Um, could that person be my partner instead of you?”

The person Myungwoo pointed to was Han Siwon.

Suddenly nominated, Han Siwon was expressionless outside but inwardly startled.

Me me me me me?! 

Kang Myungwoo nominated me as partner?!

“Hm? Well, no reason not……. “

“From earlier, that person was practicing acting hard, it caught my eye. I want to act together once.”

What?! He, he was watching that?!

Han Siwon inwardly stomped but looked at Park Hyoyeon with a poker face.

“Siwon, is it okay? Myungwoo wants it……. “

“Yes, it’s fine.”

Fine or not, from Han Siwon’s view, it was welcome.

To play opposite her favorite actor even briefly!

Of course, her poker face still didn’t show it outside.

Han Siwon nodded and went forward to stand opposite Kang Myungwoo.

“Alright, both catch emotions…….”

“I’m ready, teacher.”

From the start, Myungwoo had read the script while listening to Park Hyoyeon’s explanation upon receiving it.

For him, the textbook scripts from the acting academy, even advanced, were too low difficulty.

Han Siwon read the script once more with a poker face at Myungwoo’s words and nodded.

“I’m ready too.”

“Good. Then, action!”

This script was a common romance.

As romance is mainstream in dramas, common but not easy, precisely hard for a mere 10-year-old to convey emotions properly.

But Myungwoo took one breath and caught the emotion right away.

“Noona.”

The heavy, poignant emotion in that single word made students gasp.

Wh, what?

10 years old…… right? How such emotions…….

How does the kid convey love so deeply?

..What’s wrong?”

Han Siwon was also surprised receiving Myungwoo’s acting head-on, but she couldn’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance to act with her favorite celebrity, so she spat lines with all her might.

..She’s good?

And Myungwoo was inwardly surprised too, though he didn’t show it.

He thought she’d be good, but above expectation.

“You’re really dating that sunbae?”

Following Myungwoo’s revealing hardship and betrayal,

“That sunbae? Who?”

Han Siwon’s cold continuation with faint resentment.

“Don’t pretend not to know. You know who I’m talking about.”

“What does that have to do with you?”

They weren’t actually dating, just rumors, but the man didn’t know, and the woman hated him for leaving her until it became so.

The script was a conversation to clear the misunderstanding.

“What do you mean what? What do you mean!”

Ha, and Myungwoo sighed and stepped forward.

Flinch, Han Siwon unknowingly stepped back half a step for real.

Wow, crazy, acting really well…….

Despite the disadvantage of being small and baby-faced, hard to immerse as partner, showing this level.

As expected, her favorite actor wasn’t ordinary.

“Noona, you know, right.”

“What?”

“That I…….”

And the climax.

“That I like noona.”

Myungwoo acted passionately with tears slightly welling.

..What?”

“How much I treated noona well, how much I liked you. How can you go to that hyung?”

“Wait, wait.”

“You’re really dating?”

“What are you saying…….”

“No, even if you really date that hyung, it’s fine. Because I’ll change noona’s mind.”

Myungwoo’s burst emotions and confession, and Han Siwon flustered by it.

Obvious great acting, the classroom fell silent.

“……You, didn’t like me?”

“……Yes?”

“No, right. You didn’t care who I met, right?”

“What are you saying?”

“When I said I was meeting that person, when I said blind date with someone else, you said nothing.”

“That’s because I wasn’t in a position to say anything to noona.”

“Then, what about last time? When I asked if you had time, you said no. No contact after.”

“No noona, that was because something sudden came up…….”

“Sob, you left me first, why to me…….”

And a tear dropped from Han Siwon’s eye.

Myungwoo fidgeted and stepped closer to her.

“N-noona, don’t cry……..”

“Dating that sunbae? Date what! He likes me one-sidedly!”

“The one I like is, sob…….!

“You…….”

At Han Siwon’s words, Myungwoo’s gaze fixed on her face instantly.

His face changed from confusion, surprise to joy in a flash.

And, one scene ended.

“Wow!”

After silence, Park Hyoyeon barely opened her mouth.

Myungwoo wiped his teary eyes and smiled brightly.

“Good work.”

“……Kang Myungwoo-kun good work too.”

As Myungwoo extended hand for shake, Han Siwon wiped tears with poker face and extended hers.

Da.

She’s good. Not quite Yoo Hee’s full satisfaction yet, but definitely good.

Gasp, crazy crazy, held hands with Kang Myungwoo……!

Under smooth expressions, their contrasting emotions passed.

Clap clap clap—

And Park Hyoyeon who watched them shake raised hands and clapped.

Clap clap clap clap—

As she clapped, the dazed students snapped and all clapped together.

“Wow, really good…….”

“10 years old right……?”

“Wow, I really got goosebumps…….”

Others’ admiration was expected.

Curious were the hostile man and two instigators’ reactions earlier.

Myungwoo smiled as thanks, pretending to look around people and found them.

And at the back of the student line, eyes met the man looking at him with shocked expression.